Learn to hold thy tongue; five words cost Zacharias forty weeks of silence.
Speech
Peter Marshall
I need Thee, O Lord, for a curb on my tongue; when I am tempted to making carping criticisms and cruel judgements, keep me from speaking barbed words that hurt, and in which I find perverted satisfaction. Keep me from unkind words and from unkind silences. Restrain my judgements. Make my criticisms kind, generous, and constructive. Make me sweet inside, that I may be gentle with other people, gentle in the things I say, kind in what I do. Create in me that warmth of mercy that shall enable others to find Thy strength for their weakness, Thy peace for their strife, Thy joy for their sorrow, Thy love for their hatred, Thy compassion for their weakness. In thine own strong name, I pray. Amen.
John Baillie
We must remember, in discussing God, that we cannot talk about Him without His hearing every word we say. We may be able to talk about others behind their backs, but God is everywhere… Therefore, in all our discussions we must be aware of His infinite presence, and talk about Him, as it were, before His face.
Janette Oke
When a sincere compliment comes to mind, don’t hesitate to give it.
Samuel J. Hurwitt
Never trust your tongue when your heart is bitter.
Pimen
A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning till night and yet he is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that is not profitable.
Francis Frangipane
You say, “Well, I am not going to be anyone’s ‘yes man.’ If I see something wrong in a person, I’m going to warn others about it.” Fine. But beware that what you are calling “courage to speak out” is not more truly a deception masking a rebellious, dishonouring attitude. In other words, we each ought to take heed that our boldness to talk to others about problems with the boss or pastor or spouse is not just a pretense for self-righteousness, pride and dishonour.
Mother Teresa
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
A. B. Simpson
I would rather play with forked lightning, or take in my hand living wires with their fiery current, than speak a reckless word against any servant of Christ, or idly repeat the slanderous darts which thousands of Christian are hurling on others.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
You cannot stop people’s tongues, and therefore the best thing to do is to stop your own ears and never mind what is spoken.