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Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (Col. 4:6)
Samuel Miller had a concern for how ministers of the gospel, as ambassadors of Christ, represented him in public, as well as in private. The impressions left on others after interaction with a minister have a bearing on his witness for Christ. In his 1827 volume Letters on Clerical Manners and Habits, Miller has much wisdom and counsel to offer his fellow co-laborers in the work of the kingdom in this regard.
One bit of wisdom, in particular, though directed to ministers, is very much applicable to all Christians.
Never retire from any company, then, without asking yourself, “What have I said for the honour of my Master, and for promoting the everlasting welfare of those with whom I conversed? What was the tenour of my conversation? What opportunity of recommending religion have I neglected to improve? From what motives did I speak, or keep silence? In what manner did I converse? With gentleness, modesty, humility, and yet with with affectionate fidelity; or with harshness, with formality, with ostentation, with vanity, and from a desire to avoid censure, or to court popular applause?” Few things, I believe, would have a more powerful tendency to promote watchfulness, diligence, and unremitting perseverance in this important duty, than the constant inspection and trial of ourselves here recommended.
This counsel speaks not only to the aim which we all ought to have to be faithful witnesses to Christ in all of our interactions, but also to our duty to examine ourselves regularly as to whether we have aimed at God’s glory in our dealings with others. In this way, ministers, and indeed all believers, ought to strive to speak with right motives and with wisdom according to the situation so that we may give a good account before our Lord.
Ministers and others do well to consult the full work by Miller on Clerical Manners for much wisdom on how to rightly represent Jesus Christ in our various conversations with others, which is available to read here. According to our place and calling, may we all seek to glorify God in our conversations.
