I am a word nerd. I love reading them, writing them, choosing them, tweaking them…sometimes even creating them. These little tid-bits from the October 2000 issue of “Strength” email (if you want to subscribe, go to the Email tab at the top of this page) helps us to consider the God-honoring usage of words (hearing them as well as speaking them!)…
“Lord, deliver me from the urge to open my mouth when I should shut it. Give me wisdom to keep silence where silence is wise. Remind me that not everything needs to be said, and that there are very few things that need to be said by me.” Elisabeth Elliot
“I have discovered that all the unhappiness of man arises from one single fact, that they cannot stay quietly in their own chamber.” Pascal
“Do thyself but hold thy tongue for one day, and on the morrow how much clearer are thy purposes and duties.” Thomas Carlyle
“I have learned this art; when I have nothing to say, I stop talking.” Martin Luther
“These three sieves will help to keep some words from being spoken that would grieve the Spirit of love and hurt someone whom our Lord loves. Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” Amy Carmichael
“We have to agree with Job, who in effect said, “I was talking when I should have been listening; I was whining when I should have been worshipping.” Erwin Lutzer
“Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press, say “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Oswald Chambers
“Lord, teach me to listen. The times are noisy and my ears and weary with the thousand raucous sounds which continuously assault them. Give me the spirit of the boy Samuel when he said to Thee, “Speak, for thy servant heareth.” Let me hear Thee speaking in my heart. Let me get used to the sound of Thy voice, that it’s tones may be familiar when the sounds of earth die away and the only sound will be the music of Thy speaking voice.” A.W. Tozer
“Speaking beautifully is little to the purpose unless one lives beautifully.” Elizabeth Prentiss
