Day 12 - The Betraying Tongue

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. 
~Proverbs 11:13

Betrayal, just the word causes me to shudder.  There is little that hurts worse than to have someone close to you betray you.  David describes this pain in Psalm 55.  When a friend turns against us, the wounds inflicted are far worse than the same acts done by an enemy.

 The very definition of betrayal (to disclose in violation of a confidence) implies a trust or bond with the betrayer.  To betray a confidence is to destroy a friendship.  Is it worth it?  C.S. Lewis said, “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”  We are told in Proverbs 17:17 that a friend loves at all times.  Friendship is priceless.  There are many benefits we gain from friendship.

First is a sense of belonging and purpose.  God told us from the very beginning it is not good for us to be alone (Genesis 2:18).  In fact we are instructed to not neglect meeting together (Hebrews 10:25).  Being with others is obviously something that is important.

Friendships also help us to grow into a better person.  Proverbs 27:5-6,9 reminds us that our friends are expected to be honest with us, and that we should welcome that honesty.  Their words sharpen us (Proverbs 27:17).  The act of sharpening is the removal of the "extra" that keeps the instrument from being sharp.  Sharpening makes a tool more capable of doing the job it was created to do.  Our friendships do the same for us.  They help us identify the areas of our life that need to be removed so that we can be of better service to God.

Knowing that friendships are relationships that God encourages, why do we betray them for a few brief minutes of self-importance?  We are putting self first (still a common thing with this taming the tongue thing isn't it?).  Isn't that what most, if not all, sin comes down to?  We value ourselves over everything else.  It's a hard lesson to learn, to put yourself last.  But Jesus tells us that if we want to be first, that is what we have to do.  (Mark 10:44, Mark 9:35, Matthew 20:26-28)

Father, help us to guard our friendships by being trustworthy.  Thank you for the gift of friendship that you have given to us and help us to treat our friends as we would like to be treated, with love, honor and respect.  Keep us from betraying their confidences through action or deed.  Help us to better live a life that reflects you.  In Jesus name.