8-3

Watch your words diligently. Words have such great power to bless or to wound. When you speak carelessly or negatively, you damage others as well as yourself. This ability to verbalize is an awesome privilege, granted only to those I created in my image. You need help in wielding this mighty power responsibly.

Though the world applauds quick-witted retorts, my instructions about communication are quite different: be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Ask my Spirit to help you whenever you speak. I have trained you to pray-“help me, Holy Spirit” -before answering the phone, and you have seen the benefits of this discipline. Simply apply the same discipline to communicating with people around you. If they are silent, pray before speaking to them. If they are talking, pray before responding. These are split-second prayers, but they put you in touch with my presence. In this way, your speaking comes under the control of my Spirit. As positive speech patterns replace your negative ones, the increase in your joy will amaze you.

请注意谨慎地选择用词。言辞具有如此巨大的力量，可以祝福他人，也可以伤害他人。当你漫不经心或消极地说话时，你不仅伤害了他人，也伤害了自己。这种用言语表达的能力是一个令人敬畏的特权，只赐予了那些我按我的形象创造的人。在行使这强大的力量时，你需要承担责任。

尽管世界赞赏机智的回应，但我关于沟通的教导却截然不同：要快快地听，慢慢地说，慢慢地发怒。每当你开口说话时，请求我的圣灵来帮助你。我已经训练你在接电话之前祷告：“圣灵啊，请帮助我”，你已经看到了这种操练带来的益处。同样地将这种操练应用到与你周围的人沟通中。如果他们沉默，与他们交谈之前先祷告。如果他们在说话，回应之前先祷告。这些是极短的祷告，但它们却能让你与我的同在相联。通过这种方式，你的言辞受到我的圣灵的掌管。随着积极的言辞模式取代消极的模式，你的喜悦会让你感到惊讶。