5 Bible Verses on Discretion that Tell Us How to Live
What does the Bible say about discretion? Here are some Bible verses on discretion including some biblical insights.
When I was in the fourth grade one Friday, I lacked discretion while in the company of my two friends. We had been sent to the library without the rest of the class for a specific assignment. It only took us about five minutes to find the required information. After that we sat at a table a safe distance from the library lady and started talking. I felt like a rocket close to blast off but had to stay in my seat while waiting the remaining 15 minutes until my weekend launched.
Well, you know how little girls can giggle. And I had to go to the bathroom really, really bad.
The library lady wouldn’t let me take a restroom break since we were only about five or ten minutes before the bell. I made the mistake of telling my friends my…um…situation. That was a mistake. They really had something to do now: make Kelly laugh—hard! On top of that I was already giddy, so everything was funny anyway.
I couldn’t make it through the frivolousness for that long, so I wet my pants!
Mistake Number Two
Mistake number two exited my mouth when I proceeded to tell my friends. Oh, and of course, they promised to keep it a secret.
Right about then the bell rang. My locker was almost right across from the library so my plan was to run to my locker real quick, tie my jacket’s arms around my waist, and jet out the front door to my mom’s car.
Unfortunately, my friends could run faster than someone trying to walk normally while wearing wet pants. By the time I had gotten to the locker area, my accident was already a hot topic. I found out which “friend” snitched on me, and I broke down and cried right there for a couple of minutes. At least the locker area had cleared out for the most part.
After I mustered up the courage to leave, I headed to the front glass doors of the school. There in the outside entranceway, I saw an unusual amount of kids making a commotion. Something seemed amiss. Split between relief that the attention wouldn’t be on me and concern for whatever could be wrong, I stepped outside. But as soon as I appeared, mockery greeted me. The ringleader pointed me out and led her singsong jeer louder:
“Kelly peed in her pants! Kelly peed in her pants!”
There were kids I didn’t even know joining in. Mortified, I ran to my mom’s car, climbed in quickly, slid down out of sight, and demanded my mom drive away now! TGIF took new meaning.
What Does the Bible Say About Discretion?
That story is my most embarrassing moment of childhood. It is certainly an example of not having discretion.
That’s why the following Bible verse on discretion stood out to me so much when I found it. I took it to mean that it’s a guard for my life!
Discretion is a guard for my life! #LiveYielded #ThrivingInChrist Share on XDiscretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you. Proverbs 2:11 NASB
That’s So when I studied more on what the Bible has to say about discretion, I saw some valuable truths on ways to live a life of prudence and tact. These ways include understanding discretion, guarding your secrets, choose your company, and being skeptical (in a good way!). Let’s look at these insights in more detail.
4 More Bible Verses About Discretion
Four ways that help you walk with discretion are in the following section. Below each is a supporting Bible verse about discretion because my first source of wisdom is always the Word of God. 🙂
Way #1: Understand Discretion
You can walk with discretion starting with an understanding of its meaning. Let’s start with the word discreet: careful and circumspect in one’s speech or actions, especially in order to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage. The word prudent is similar: acting with or showing care and thought for the future. Discreet is the adjective form of discretion (the quality of being discreet), and prudent is the adjective form of prudence (the quality of being prudent). You’re welcome for the grammar lesson. There is a quiz at the bottom of this post. 😉
That you may observe discretion and your lips may reserve knowledge. Proverbs 5:2 NASB
Way #2: Guard Your Secrets
Guard the precious dreams and deep-rooted desires in your heart by being discreet with whom you reveal them. Who do you share your secrets with? It should not be everyone. It might not even be all of your friends. The Bible teaches us to be prudent. Not that you can’t ever share a wish with your neighbor’s-cousin’s-best-man-twice-removed while dancing at a wedding. But there is wisdom in not speaking all your mind to just everyone. As in my story above, you don’t want someone to shatter the secrets of your heart. Save your secrets for the ones you know you can trust. The ones who are sincerely for you.
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. Proverbs 10:19 ESV
Way #3: Choose Your Company
Unless it’s your spouse, beware walking and/or being alone with a member of the opposite sex in most cases. Many tragic circumstances would never transpire if we lived by some unpopular rules, like only allowing the young people to go out with a chaperone.
The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. Proverbs 22:3 ESV
Way #4: Be Skeptical (Notice I didn’t say be a skeptic!)
Don’t believe everything you hear or read. Much of it isn’t true. The spreading of false news is rampant nowadays. A well meaning person that you respect may not check a source and spread information that is inaccurate. Double and triple check sources. Why is this important? Influence. You are influenced by people. Are those people sending you in the right direction? Notice which direction your life is going. This could be in regard to eternity or in the habits of everyday life.
The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. Proverbs 14:15 ESV
Practice Walking with Biblical Discretion
I will never forget my most embarrassing moment. Thankfully, everyone seemed to forget what happened over the weekend as the following Monday played out to be as normal as any other Monday. However, I learned a few lessons from that experience over the weekend. Most of all it is a reminder to be careful with whom I share private things. At any rate, I try to practice discretion.
Generally speaking, guarding what you let in as well as what you let out will help you practice walking with discretion. I’m thankful for these verses and the priceless wisdom to glean from them! Even though I live with much more tact now, I’m asking God for an increase of discretion in my life. Won’t you join me? You can begin by praying the Bible verses about discretion from this post!
Click here to download or print the Bible Verses on Discretion
Dear Kelly, what wise words from such a hard lesson! For me, walking the tightrope between discretion and transparency is the challenge. Perhaps it all comes down to trust and discernment. Thank you for sharing practical ways to be discreet. Have a blessed day!
Discretion and transparency sounds like a good plan, Alice!
Oh, my! I’m so sorry for your young self! But what wisdom you’ve culled from that experience. Thanks for opening my eyes to the flip side of discretion. I’ve typically only thought about it in terms of keeping other’s secrets, not in how much of my heart I share with other! Blessings!
I used to have problems on both sides of the coin but that is another blog post. 😉
What a hard lesson to learn! Yes, discretion is key for young and old alike.
Agreed, Sarah.
Oh dear, Kelly! This reminds me of when I wet my pants in kindergarten because I was too scared to ask the teacher how to flush the toilet that was different than the one we had at home…
Thanks for your wisdom on discretion. I’ve been praying for God to help me with this lately.
It’s a good thing to pray for! Praying for an increase for all of us every day.
Kelly, I admire your bravery in sharing this. I too had an accident in second grade that scarred me socially for years. That incident taught me about forgiveness, both for others and for myself. You have unearthed a gem of wisdom, and your transparency is an amazing testimony as well!
Thank God He’s healed me so completely that it doesn’t bother me at all to talk about it. I’m glad for the gained wisdom, Sarah! It sounds like God healed you, too.
I was a big fan of Everybody Loves Raymond back in the day and there was an episode about this very subject–played to comedic perfection, Kelly. I think just about everyone has one of these embarrassing stories in our childhood or teen years–where they are so ripe for mockery by our peers. I am so sorry you had to face that but I love how you’ve repurposed that painful moment into a lesson on discretion in relationships. It’s true that we need to be careful who we open up with and trust. Thanks for reminding us of those important truths and principles today!
I’ll have to try to find that episode and watch it!
Oh Kelly – this is a hard story to share. Mortified doesn’t come close. xoxo
It could have been worse, right? 😉
Love the final point, about being skeptical. I think we really do have to protect ourselves in this way, especially spiritually. Reminds me of the Bereans! It’s ok to listen to people, but you’ve always got to see if what they are teaching aligns with scripture before applying it to your life.
Yes, the Bereans! May we all search the Word like they did.