Miss Know-It- allt

Generally, the sentences start with “Do you know”.

• Do you know who the new pastor is?
• Do you know where so-and-so lives?
• Do you know what so-and-so said?
• Do you know what I saw?
• Do you know what I heard?
• Do you know who is there?

Generally, she is the person who knows everything going on; she cannot keep back the news she heard. Keeping a secret is impossible for her! If someone asks you something and you don’t know the answer, you immediately think of her: “Well, I don’t know, but ask so-and-so because she will probably know.” She always knows everything that’s going on, not only in her church, but also in all the other branches and, many times, even in other countries, and she wants to show she knows it all. She likes people coming to her in order to ask her things, but there is only one thing she doesn’t know: she is not looked at favourably and is regarded as gossip, indiscreet and generally is used for everyone to obtain information.

It is important to emphasise that the information that the know-it-all has is not constructive, but it is always gossip-like. Many times, she is not being malicious, but she feels happy for being “useful”. She likes the attention she receives with so many people coming to her for news. Here are some tips so that we don’t become famous for being a gossip or know-it-all.

Avoid spreading news you heard, such as:

• I heard we will have a new pastor!
• I heard that bishop so-and-so will move on.
• I heard that this is happening in that church.
• I heard so-and-so likes you.
• I heard there will be changes.

In the case where people inform you of something that is not constructive, don’t pass it on. If you believe this information is something requiring action, talk to someone that can solve that problem and no one else.

When someone tells you a secret, don’t tell anyone. Perhaps you will say this: “If I tell you something, do you promise you won’t tell anybody else?” It doesn’t work, believe me.

If you hear some “hot” gossip, cool it down! Put it into the freezer, that is, don’t tell anybody. You will be tempted to say something, but that feeling passes. Before passing on information, ask yourself at all times: Will this information be constructive or destructive? Will it add or take away? Will it help or harm?

Depending on the answers, you will know if you should pass it on or not.

The discreet woman practises that. What about you, are you discreet or indiscree