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Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015). Born Elisabeth Howard on December 21, 1926, in Brussels, Belgium, to missionary parents, Elisabeth Elliot was an American missionary, author, and speaker known for her writings on faith and suffering. Raised in a devout family, she moved to the U.S. as a child and graduated from Wheaton College in 1948 with a degree in Greek. In 1952, she went to Ecuador as a missionary, where she met and married Jim Elliot in 1953. After Jim and four others were killed by Waorani tribesmen in 1956, Elisabeth continued ministering to the Waorani, living among them with her daughter, Valerie, for two years, leading to many conversions. She returned to the U.S. in 1963, becoming a prolific author and speaker, penning Through Gates of Splendor (1957), Shadow of the Almighty (1958), Passion and Purity (1984), and Let Me Be a Woman (1976), emphasizing obedience to God. Elliot hosted the radio program Gateway to Joy from 1988 to 2001, reaching a global audience. Married three times—to Jim Elliot, Addison Leitch (1969–1973, until his death), and Lars Gren (1977–2015)—she died of dementia on June 15, 2015, in Magnolia, Massachusetts. Elliot said, “The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.”
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Elisabeth Elliot emphasizes the importance of knowing when to remain silent, highlighting that not everything needs to be expressed in the name of honesty and openness. She draws attention to Jesus' example of withholding information about Himself and instructing healed individuals to keep their miracles private. Elliot urges for wisdom in discerning when to speak and when to be silent, referencing Ecclesiastes 3:1,7 and Proverbs 11:12 to support the idea that there is a time for both silence and speech.
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The Necessity to Cover
There are things which it is our duty to cover in silence. We are told nowadays that everything ought to be expressed if we are truly "honest" and "open." Proverbs 11:13 says, "He who goes abroad as a talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing hidden." Jesus sometimes refused to reveal the truth about Himself, even when it would have seemed to us "an opportunity to witness." He did not always answer questions. He did not always say who He was. He told some of those He healed to tell no one about it. "For every activity under heaven its time...a time for silence and a time for speech" (Eccl 3:1,7 NEB). "A man of understanding remains silent" (Prv 11:12 RSV). Lord, deliver me from the urge to open my mouth when I should shut it. Give me the wisdom to keep silence where silence is wise. Remind me that not everything needs to be said, and that there are very few things that need to be said by me.
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Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015). Born Elisabeth Howard on December 21, 1926, in Brussels, Belgium, to missionary parents, Elisabeth Elliot was an American missionary, author, and speaker known for her writings on faith and suffering. Raised in a devout family, she moved to the U.S. as a child and graduated from Wheaton College in 1948 with a degree in Greek. In 1952, she went to Ecuador as a missionary, where she met and married Jim Elliot in 1953. After Jim and four others were killed by Waorani tribesmen in 1956, Elisabeth continued ministering to the Waorani, living among them with her daughter, Valerie, for two years, leading to many conversions. She returned to the U.S. in 1963, becoming a prolific author and speaker, penning Through Gates of Splendor (1957), Shadow of the Almighty (1958), Passion and Purity (1984), and Let Me Be a Woman (1976), emphasizing obedience to God. Elliot hosted the radio program Gateway to Joy from 1988 to 2001, reaching a global audience. Married three times—to Jim Elliot, Addison Leitch (1969–1973, until his death), and Lars Gren (1977–2015)—she died of dementia on June 15, 2015, in Magnolia, Massachusetts. Elliot said, “The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian makes me a different kind of woman.”