II Samuel 1:16 “David said to him, ‘Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, “I have killed the LORD’S anointed.”’”

Oops! This Amalekite thought he was bringing David good news! Saul, David’s persecutor for so many years, was dead. Now David could be king. He even lied to make himself look better by saying he had killed Saul. Perhaps he was hoping for a reward. He obviously didn’t know that David had spared Saul twice in the past years when God had placed him in his hands.

Children love to tattle, don’t they? They think they may gain some ground on brother or sister by informing you, Mom and Dad, when they have some “news” of their sibling’s activities. Tattling will drive you crazy! It is hard to know what is true or untrue.

We adults tattle too, but we disguise the “news” as prayer requests. Have your children ever overheard you telling “news” about someone else that you were asked to keep to yourself. We just can’t help ourselves, can we? Will you stop and think about the message you are showing your kids? If they hear you doing that, do you think they are ever going to share their deepest thoughts with you? Not hardly.

Your children will probably never come to you with a life threatening decision, but their struggles at school or with friends seem that way to them. They need your counsel and advice. Don’t ruin that opportunity by being a tattle-tail yourself. To put it bluntly – keep your mouth shut. God knows your heart. Tell Him what you want to tell others. One thing’s for sure – He can keep a secret!