Friday, January 8, 2016
This past Wednesday, I spoke about the present-day overused phrase of throwing someone “under the bus.” Today’s topic is also about a well known phrase which is somewhat related to the previous one, namely airing our “dirty linen” in public. It refers to the practice of telling others private or embarrassing things about a spouse, family member, or close friend. Matters such as these should be private and should remain in the confines of the home. I touched on this matter in my bible study class in church this past Wednesday night. I said that a model wife-husband situation is depicted in the 31st Chapter of Proverbs which more specifically speaks about a “virtuous woman.” Verses 11-12 says this about her: “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” Among many other things, it is apparent that her husband has full confidence in her because she has never spoken ill in public about him nor has she revealed any of his faults and weaknesses to others. That is also one reason that “Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.” (Vs. 23) He is respected because neither she nor her children have ever said any negative thing about him in public, and as far as they know, this man is worthy of respect. Verse 28 reads: “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Can you see now that this woman was praised, in part, because she never shared her “dirty laundry” and never threw her husband “under the bus”?
I have lost count of the many times I have heard folks speaking badly about a spouse, friend, or a loved one in public. Although sometimes we do it without realizing it, that should not be. In marriage, since the “two” have become “one”, to speak badly about your spouse is to speak badly about yourself. And sometimes, we give out more information than we should. For example, someone may notice that we are having marriage or family problems and will ask us about it. We should be very careful just to say something like “We’re having problems, please pray for us” and leave it at that. On the other hand, if someone has given us more information than they should, as God’s children, lets keep it to ourselves. We can’t help them any better than by doing that and praying that the Lord will help them.
Memory verse for the week: (Romans 14:21) “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.”
