SPILL THE BEANS

Spill the beans.

Blab.

Blurt.

Blather.

Yes, I have been guilty of spilling the beans.

But let me be perfectly clear here.  I am not talking about sharing secrets or confidences.

No way.  

I am eminently trustworthy with private conversations, vulnerable feelings, honest thoughts.

I will not betray a person's faith in me.

And I will not be the one to burst the bubble of a surprise party, gift, or announcement.

So, I'm not talking about that.

It's more that I just don't think sometimes, and something slips out that probably wasn't the best thing to say.

You see, I suffer from "foot-in-mouth disease."

I can't tell you the number of times I've said something, and then realized what I've said, and wished that I could rewind my words.

For instance, I am a walking, human spoiler alert at times.

Like how I ruined the movie Armageddon for my older son (SPOILER ALERT!):

"It's so sad when Bruce Willis dies at the end of the movie."

Or how I ruined the movie Sixth Sense for my youngest son (SPOILER ALERT!):

"It's so weird how Bruce Willis is really dead at the end of the movie."

(Honestly, what is it about Bruce Willis and me??  In my defense, I thought both of my sons had already seen these movies).

I've also been known to tell my oldest son the score of a game, only to find out that he hadn't seen the game yet.

"Did you see that comeback in the third period?  WOW!"

"No, Mom, I taped it.  Thanks."

Sigh.


I also seem to tell everyone way too much about my personal life.

My sons tease me about how often I make *a close personal friend in less than five minutes.*

I think some of the teasing is good-natured, and comes from their admiration of my openness and vulnerability.  But sometimes, I think they believe that I should be a little more circumspect in what I share!

And I can't begin to recount the all-too-many times that I've said something in anger, in the heat of the moment, only to realize that I didn't really mean it.

So, if spilling the beans means upturning a pot of beans and making a big 'ol mess, yeah, I've done it…

No wonder we are admonished to *tame the tongue!*


I got to thinking about this…

As I read in the New Testament, it's interesting that there are several instances when Jesus performs a miracle, and then cautions people not to tell others about it.

It never worked.

People always told.

But why didn't Jesus want it told?

What were His reasons for wanting silence?


In my research, I've come upon two good reasons:

First, if news of Jesus' healings and miracles became widely known, His movements would become hindered.

Can you imagine the excitement generated by what Jesus did?  And how much attention this brought Jesus?

And how much this newfound *celebrity* would inhibit Him on His mission?

Indeed, this is exactly what happened:

"As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn't publicly enter a town anywhere.  He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him." (Mark 1:45, NLT)


Secondly, Jesus was undoubtedly concerned that news of His miracles would distract and detract from His mission.  Instead of coming to Jesus for His message, many would be attracted to Him solely for the miracles He performed.

They would be less interested in finding truth than in viewing a "show."

Dazzled by having their physical problems solved, they would concentrate on that instead of their spiritual need – the forgiveness of sins.

They would become like King Herod:

"Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle." (Luke 23:8, NLT)

Or like everyone else:

"Jesus asked, 'Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?'" (John 4:48, NLT)


So, there was a time when Jesus counseled against "spilling the beans."

And people disobeyed.

However, at the end of His time on earth, Jesus gave a completely different message.

He commissioned His disciples to go and tell the world about Him:

"And then he told them, 'Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.'" (Mark 16:15, NLT)


I think about this.

You know, He was talking to us, too.

The Great Commission was given to ALL His followers.

How are we doing?

Sometimes we've been known to disobey these words, too.

We've kept the message to ourselves, bypassed opportunities to speak truth, or melted into a corner when people start castigating "religious" people.

(At least I've done this – have you?)

But we can't afford to be silent.

Jesus wants to be known.

For who He truly is – the Living Son of God.

Jesus did not come to this world to be a performing puppet.  He wasn't a circus entertainer or a showman.  Not a magician or a conjurer.

Certainly not a vending machine to fulfill our endless requests.

He didn't come for our purposes.

He came to save us.

And now, as His hands and feet, He calls us to spread His Gospel – the very Good News of who He is, what happened when He was here on earth, and why He did what He did.


We're so human, aren't we?

We're told to keep quiet – and we open our mouths.

We're told to speak out – and we close our mouths.

Oh, how we need the Holy Spirit's discernment and His power.

We need to be told when it's wisest to keep silent, and then to obey.

And we need to be told when it's wisest to speak out, and then to obey.


I'm asking for the Lord to help me in this area.

I want to *tame my tongue* – and use it properly for His purposes.

But, as far as spreading the message of His salvation?

Well, I can hear Him saying to me…

"Go on!  Spill the beans!!"



Are you boldly taking opportunities to share the Gospel?

Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills
and everywhere -
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ
is born.


(Written by John Wesley Work, Jr.) 

"'I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God.  That is the one thing we must not say.  A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.  He would either be a lunatic – on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell.  You must make your choice.  Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse.  You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher.  He has not left that open to us.  He did not intend to." 

(C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)



"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?'
They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'
'But what about you?' he asked.  'Who do you say I am?'
Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.'
Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you…'" 

(Matthew 16:13-17, NIV)


"'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere…to the ends of the earth.'" (Acts 1:8, NLT)

"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all…" 
(Acts 4:33, NIV)

"Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.  Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world." 
(Isaiah 12:4-5, NIV)

"…'Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.'  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him?  And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him?  And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?  That is why the Scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!'" (Romans 10:13-15, NLT)

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith…" (Romans 1:16-17, NASB)

"I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God.  Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not." (2 Timothy 4:1-2, NLT)

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15, NIV)

"'Now go!  I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.'" (Exodus 4:12, NLT)

"'God will give you the right words at the right time.  For it is not you who will be speaking – it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.'" (Matthew 10:19-20, NLT)

"'And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.'" (Matthew 24:14, NLT)




Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, MONDAY OF MANY BLESSINGS, THANK GOODNESS IT'S MONDAY, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY, MUSING MONDAY, MODEST MONDAY, MOTIVATION MONDAY, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, LIVING PROVERBS, REFLECT LINKUP, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, UNITE LINKUP, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, INTENTIONAL TUESDAY, TITUS 2SDAY, WISE WOMAN, THE HOMEMAKING PARTY, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY 
(The last few days have been so busy, and I've not been feeling well.  So, if I joined your blog hop/link party and didn't reference you here this week, I apologize.  I'll be back on track next week.  Thanks!)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"