Angry words

Angry words! O let them never,
From the tongue unbridled slip,
May the heart’s best impulse ever,
Check them ere they soil the lip.

Refrain

Love one another thus saith the Savior,
Children obey the Father’s blest command,
Love each other, love each other,
’Tis the Father’s blest command.

Love is much too pure and holy,
Friendship is too sacred far,
For a moment’s reckless folly,
Thus to desolate and mar.

Refrain

Angry words are lightly spoken,
Bitterest thoughts are rashly stirred,
Brightest links of life are broken,
By a single angry word.

Refrain

Words and Music by Horatio R. Palmer.  Listen to the tune here.

Seeing a man for what he wants to be

I read the following on another blog and thought it worth posting here.

“Smith said that family ought to see a man less for what he is, and more for what the man wants to be. Said that’s called grace. I reckon he’s right.”

Speak Gently

Speak gently! it is better far
To rule by love than fear;
Speak gently! let not harsh words mar
The good we may do here.

Speak gently! Love doth whisper low

The vows that true hearts bind;
And gently Friendship’s accents flow;
Affection’s voice is kind.

Speak gently to the little child,
Its love be sure to gain ;
Teach it in accents soft and mild;
It may not long remain.

Speak gently to the young, for they
Will have enough to bear;
Pass through this life as best they may,
‘Tis full of anxious care.

Speak gently to the aged one,
Grieve not the careworn heart;
The sands of life are nearly run,
Let such in peace depart.

Speak gently, kindly, to the poor;

Let no harsh tone be heard.
They have enough they must endure,
Without an unkind word.

Speak gently to the erring; know
They must have toiled in vain;
Perchance unkindness made them so;
Oh, win them back again!

Speak gently: He who gave His life
To bend man’s stubborn will,

When elements were fierce in strife,
Said to them, “Peace be still!”

Speak gently, ‘t is a little thing,
Dropp’d in the heart’s deep well;
The good, the joy, that it may bring,
Eternity shall tell.

-        by George W. Hangford

Love means following the commands of God

It is Christ who is to be exalted, not our feelings. We will know Him by obedience, not by emotions. Our love will be shown by obedience, not by how good we feel about God at a given moment.  And love means following the commands of God.  "Do you love Me?" Jesus asked Peter. "Feed My lambs." He was not asking, "How do you feel about Me?" for love is not a feeling. He was asking for action.

Elisabeth Elliot in Discipline - The Glad Surrender