Titus 2:8
It is always time to speak boldly. For the psalmist said, "I spake in Thy testimonies before kings, and was not ashamed." If we happen to be around heathens, we should shut them up without harshness or anger. If we do it in anger, we do it with passion and the boldness of those who are confident of their case. But if we speak with gentleness, this is boldness. Boldness is a success and anger is a failure. And success and failure can't possibly go together.
Therefore, if we want to have boldness, we must clear away our anger so that no one can attribute our words to it. No matter how sound your words may be, no matter how boldly you speak, how fairly you correct, or what not, you ruin everything when you speak with anger.
Look at Stephen and how free his words to his persecutors were from passion. He didn't abuse them but reminded them of the prophets' words. In order to show you that it wasn't done in anger, he prayed as he suffered evil from their hands, "Lay not to their charge this sin." He was far from speaking these words in anger. No, he spoke out of grief and sorrow for their sakes. Certainly, the Bible talks about his appearance, that “they saw his face as it had been the face of an angel,” so that they might believe his words.
—Chrysostom
Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers
It is always time to speak boldly. For the psalmist said, "I spake in Thy testimonies before kings, and was not ashamed." If we happen to be around heathens, we should shut them up without harshness or anger. If we do it in anger, we do it with passion and the boldness of those who are confident of their case. But if we speak with gentleness, this is boldness. Boldness is a success and anger is a failure. And success and failure can't possibly go together.
Therefore, if we want to have boldness, we must clear away our anger so that no one can attribute our words to it. No matter how sound your words may be, no matter how boldly you speak, how fairly you correct, or what not, you ruin everything when you speak with anger.
Look at Stephen and how free his words to his persecutors were from passion. He didn't abuse them but reminded them of the prophets' words. In order to show you that it wasn't done in anger, he prayed as he suffered evil from their hands, "Lay not to their charge this sin." He was far from speaking these words in anger. No, he spoke out of grief and sorrow for their sakes. Certainly, the Bible talks about his appearance, that “they saw his face as it had been the face of an angel,” so that they might believe his words.
—Chrysostom
Readings taken from Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers
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