Power of a Praying Woman 10/17/06 9:02 AM Page 227
Lord, Train Me…
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be able to do this in a manner that is loving and humble, otherwise we will alienate those whom God wants to draw to Himself. If the love of God and the testimony of His goodness are not in our heart, then they will not come out of our mouth. And what we say will not draw people to the Lord. It may, in fact, do the exact opposite. When a wise woman speaks, she knows that timing is important. When things need to be said that are dif?cult for the hearer to receive, timing is everything. Certain words cannot be uttered with any success if the person listening is not open and ready to hear them. It’s important to discern that, and the only way to know for certain when to speak and what to say is to pray about it in advance. The Bible says that we are not to be too hasty to speak (Proverbs 29:20). A wise woman knows she shouldn’t share every single thought that comes into her head. “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back” (Proverbs 29:11). You may have good things to say, but people aren’t always ready to hear them. Only God knows for sure when someone is ready. Ask Him to show you. When a wise woman speaks, she tells the truth. When we don’t speak the truth, we hurt others as well as ourselves. “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak t