When Keeping Secrets is Absolutely Required — Especially at Christmas Time
I'm not going to get all preachy here. I'm not a big believer in everything the "good book" has to offer, even though there are some stories worth reading. They teach us valuable lessons about life that we don't fully appreciate until we experience them for ourselves. This Christmas time, I've personally witnessed the value of at least one of the stories and I'm about to share that with you.
Jesus and Secrets
I never understood why Jesus didn't want people that he helped telling anyone else about it until I started living in the Philippines amongst my wife's family. It seemed to me that he wouldn't want to keep each miracle a secret since it would validate his cause.
When I found out that I'd be short of cash during this year's Christmas season, I realized that a lot of people would be upset because I wouldn't be able to give EVERYONE a gift. I'm not selfish, but the money tree is a little bare this year.
I've been telling relatives for weeks that there wouldn't be any gifts from me this year and the reasons why. They understand even if they don't like it. Unfortunately, I have to help some of them with money or they won't be able to eat. So… to make an extremely long story short, I took care of the people who needed to be taken care of and told them to keep it a secret.
The Reason for Secrecy
After my own experience, I can appreciate why Jesus didn't want anyone to know about what he'd done. If word got out, everyone who had a problem would have sought him out and he wouldn't have had a moment's rest ever again.
It's kind of like that with me. If the relatives that didn't receive anything for Christmas found out about the fact that some of their other relatives did, I would never hear the end of it and I wouldn't have a moment's peace for months. It's better to let the people who are doing without think that everyone is doing without rather than knowing the truth. Feelings would be hurt and people would be angry at each other as well as at me.
I don't like keeping secrets, but sometimes keeping secrets is an absolute necessity.
I agree. Sometimes keeping a secret is very necessary. Although, keeping it is very hard.
It's a natural human trait to want to give away our little secrets and yes, it's extremely hard not to.
True. I guess it's especially important for those situations where you have to make some difficult choices as to who to help out. Would be great if a person could help everyone, but usually that just isn't possible. So at least helping some people, and telling them to keep that a secret in order to avoid conflict, is better than not helping any of them at all. Difficult though. And if someone tells, it could get pretty messy.
My last blog post… Angela Martin
Thanks for sharing the sstory. Its true that we don't appreciate our lessons until we experience them for ourselves. It is OK to keep secrets if the intention behaind it is good. Sometimes, when the you don't keep it as secret, people would be hurt unjustly.
Okay, this post did it! You caused me to have a "Pattern Interrupt". I appreciate your providing me with a different way of thinking about secrets and some people’s motivation for telling and keeping secrets. Great Blog.