*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*THE POWER OF INFLUENCE (6).*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Gen 22:2-3 *And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering......*
*And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son,....'*
*Insight and Highlight.*
The story of Abraham and Sarah teaches us that a partner can live by what is not revealed and leave to God what has not been revealed.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
We yearn for transparency in relationships, and we blame for holding things back from one another. Ironically, however, most things shared cause problems.
Most relationship influencers discourage secrecy in relationships.
Abraham's story with Sarah, however, has often been cited by couples as a ground for secrecy.
Today, we will further look at one reason why he did not tell Sarah.
First, reasons of Sarah's lack of faith which are, when she laughed at God's promises (Gen 18:12-15.), or her long years of barreness before Isaac came which made her persuade Abraham to go into Hagar (Gen 16:2), may have led Abraham to refrain from telling Sarah what God had told him.
Abraham knew God's voice and knew the possibility of Sarah's dissenting voice.
God knew, and Abraham may have known a disagreement may occur.
At the end of it all, we can see that when God is in a secrecy, it is the duty of God's people to live by what is revealed and leave to God what He has not revealed to us, Deut 29:29.
God was in the marriage of Abraham and Sarah (Gen 12 and 20), including the management of the secrecy.
The bible does not record Sarah's feelings on whether or not she was told. If there were and it was important that we know, God would have allowed a mention on this.
Other tips on secrecy are as follows.
Firsr, what we can learn in the aftermath of Isaac's halted sacrifice is that Sarah lived happily by what was not revealed to her.
Second, Abraham's life with Sarah teaches us that we may not know what our partner knows, but we can still thrive in our relationship when we do not know what we should know.
It also teaches us to know that we can thrive in our relationship when we can know what they want us to know and that they respect our rights to know, Gen 12: 10-20, 20.
At the end of it all, we can see that when God is in a secrecy, it is the duty of God's people to live by what is revealed and leave to God what He has not revealed to us.
The bible does not record Sarah's feelings on whether or not she was told. If there were and it was important that we know, God would have allowed a mention on this.
It may even be reasonably assumed that if Sarah knew, she may have been unable to do anything to stop God from achieving His purpose. In Isaiah 43:13, God said *'.....I will work, and who shall let it?*
Third, we must be well guided that transparency as much as we crave after it is often abused, badly managed, and causes dispute.
This has led some partners to hold back.
You must subject yourself to self-control. How you react will determine how much more secrets you will get to hear in the future.
You can encourage transparency when your partner knows you can manage any information well.
Fourth, in a relationship, we must never keep to ourselves more than is necessary.
We must not live as those who do not know what they want but who know what they do not want.
Fifth, we must put ourselves in each other's shoes. What we know we can not accept should not be done to others.
Sixth, in our relationship, let us be discreet.
Not making secrets known on time can cause great havoc. Making it known on time could save lives.
You can influence transparency in a relationship by how successful you have managed it.
Influence positively. Do not encourage them to fail because you failed. Encourage people to be better, not bitter.
Teach and encourage what has worked for you. Do not generalize badness. They are not you. You are not them.
Seventh, every couple deserves transparency, but hardly do they get what they deserve. This is human propensity to think it wise to keep secret to their spouses.
We must encourage each other through transparency. It is good and honorable.
Peradventure, however, if we must learn secrecy from Abraham's point of view, we must be like him to be blessed as he was.
God was involved in the secret plan involving He and Abraham alone without Sarah.
Is God in your relationship?
Sarah, by God's providence, saw nothing wrong with it, so she was able to live happily by what was not revealed to her.
Love does not see fault. It is blind to any offense and allows it to disappear as fast as it comes, 1 Pet 4:8.
When it comes to influencing relationship, let us influence couples to be guarded by God's providence in their hearts.
God always makes the difference
There is no known or more acceptable explanation from any mortal other than for God to take us to the level of love and trust, believing in our spouses
to live by what is not revealed and leave to God what has not been revealed.
Will you trust and be transparent to your spouse?
If you must be secretive as Abraham was, are you as God saw him?
Will God protect you as He protected Abraham's secrecy. Will you be blessed as he was?
You can only influence others only when God has influenced your life.
*Remorse corner.*
Just because God does not reveal some secrets to us does not mean God encourages secrecy among couples. No one is God!
*Call to Word action.*
Do not track your spouse. Live by what you know or live like Sarah by what she does not know. Do not fret. Eventually, you will know any hidden secret, whether good or bad. God's word says so!
Luke 8:17 *For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
Communication is two ways, and God is a great communicator.
*Prayer.*
Lord, let love and trust be in our homes, in Jesus name.
Good morning all and have a blessed day today.
God bless you.