LEARNING TO SHUT UP!! A humbling and painful experience.

With that title, I know you are waiting for an embarrassing encounter or experience I had! !...Oh well, we can say so for the painful bit. BUT the  humbling was well, HUMBLING!
Normally, (usually, most of the times, as a rule, habitually, ordinarily, typically....you get it, right?) I avoid situations which will bring 'drama'. Yes, drama. If my life was a movie...it would have to be in the NO-DRAMA category. Oh shucks! I'd have to create that category in the first place.! But what happens when the drama decides to look, I mean, hunt for you? *teren teren* I say, FLEE! Fly if you have to!

So this time round, my mouth got loose (oh why, oh why?) and I said something a friend had told me in confidence that I don't share it. HOWEVER, my mouth found it convenient to do so... although there were no casualties physically ( See, I told you, my movies are drama free! but that's beside the point.) my heart was torn! I felt really bad...no, extremely bad. But prayer did it for me...thank you Lord!

I decided to go back to the books (read Bible) and find out what they say about shutting up ones mouth (or at least how not to open it in the first place!)

Proverbs 21:23 'Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.' (oops!)
Enough said about that verse, very clear.

I just started studying the book of Ephesians and yesterday I read chapter 2.  'As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved. '

Before I realized I had forgotten what I read in the morning, I had already been humbled...sad. Oh how quickly we forget! We have been called to higher and greater standards. Were it not for God's saving grace, we would still be wallowing in sin. We have been made alive with Christ. That means we should be dead to whatever else that threatens to take the life out of us e.g gossip (can I get an amen?) and blurting out things we shouldn't.

 I should probably point out that there is a very thin line between giving information and gossiping. So thin, we always tend to miss it! So the best thing is to keep away from situations with thin lines??? hehe...I kid you.....NOT! Yes, keep away from thin lines. Those sorta, kinda, ish-ish situations...those right there my friends, are the thin lines!

So, I have learnt my lesson, albeit painful. The art of shutting up. A friend once told me 'Msiba wa kujitakia' is always the most painful to deal with. Very true. Thank God for His grace.

Children...learn.

Have you ever been in such a situation? Please share...