Slander Me Not

“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

Carrier of Life

Last week author Marilynn Griffith visited my blog and talked about motherhood pride. If we’ve ever had those moments when we thought our children were simply stellar, there may have been a time when you couldn’t always say that or there may come a time when you simply breakdown because it seems all your efforts are futile. Marilynn reminded us that even when you train your child “right,” you may be in for a few surprises from them. I wrote the following poem this week for my church’s women’s month to help us remember our God-given role as mothers. The night’s focus was “I Am a Mother,” and as mothers we should always keep in mind what Marilynn said: “(Children) are a gift from God given for your care (and feeding!) until God releases them into their destiny, which is the same as ours–to change the world for Christ.”
Carrier of Life
Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Connecting with Ancestors

Sonia Sanchez

Sonia Sanchez

“…I write to keep in contact with our ancestors (emphasis mine) and to spread truth to people”—Sonia Sanchez

This week’s quotation comes from another famous poet, scholar and activist Sonia Sanchez, one of the foremost writers during the Black Arts Movement in the mid-1960s through the 1970s. I love Sanchez, the depth of her messages and the cadence of her words that penetrate your soul and make you think and move. One of my favorite pieces is her “Does Your House Have Lions?” where in eerily beautiful terms she describes the family journey with her brother who is dying from AIDS. I like Sanchez’s writing and her love for humanity. When I saw the above quotation I was struck about her desire to connect with humanity. Considering this quotation alongside Deuteronomy 18:10-11, Isaiah 8:19 and Job 8:8-10, what are your thoughts about what Sanchez has said, particularly the emphasized part? You know there’s more to come from me. Let me know what you think first.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Time for God

“My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…,” the old hymn goes. And I’ve been thinking about that lately. No matter how distracted I get and how I think, “I got this,” I always come back to the one who really does “got this.” As I remind you where to put and keep your focus, I have already reminded myself: its-time-to-take-time