“Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear-hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh”—Jude 22-23.
Warning: This is a fire snatching poem to save my sisters from the destruction of slander.

Slander Me Not

You like to say only sticks and stones
Hurt your bones but names do hurt you,
Pimp slap you, sucker punch you, arrest you, knock you out in disbelief, give you grief
Harsh words make you stumble
You recover, then sputter some choice words yourself
You black “B” or fat cow
You ugly “B” or dumb dog
But that’s not all in the name calling repertoire.
You can be a snotty sophisticate
Use your intellect and shift from the gutter to self-assuredly utter
“I wouldn’t have done it like that. I thought you knew better than that.”
You can move from snotty to spiritual
Take your words so that others hear it as concern:
“I called the Pauls because I think they’ve fallen out with Pastor.”
“We have to pray for Earline; she’s having marital problems.”
Or you can broaden your approach
Bring in a same breath reproach
Change from spiritual whisperer to a double dipping wordsmith
Bring gifts to a friend
Then stab her in the back with the walk away attack:
“Girl, I love that hat.” “She thinks she’s all that. I have one that’s better than that.”
You a gut-busting, sucker punching, pimp slapping, heart wrenching slanderer
Using words to make false claims, curse and bless and bringing shame upon others.
Your words cut deep
You conceive to deceive, to please your flesh instead of only bless your neighbors.
You’re a slanderer
Speaking death instead of life
Handling words to engender strife
This is the life of a Christian?
This cannot be.
This should not be.
Jesus Christ died so this would not be.
So please let it not be.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith