What a frightening responsibility to be a teacher, particularly people's pastor! For better or worse, the voice they hear teaching them the Bible will be to them as the voice of God. Whether good or bad, when they think on God's voice, his tone, and emphasis, they will often hear your voice. How sobering. What trembling this should evoke!
Will they hear compassion and gentleness? Will they hear conviction and firmness? With they hear practical counsel and honest assessments? Will they hear sober words of joy? Or will they hear flippantness, harshness, complaining, impatience, and an irrelevant clanging of words? What effect ought this to have on us as we prepare to speak, ready our hearts, and consider their needs. This is no casual task. Proceed with reverence.
