Category Archives: Recovery

The Power of One Another

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I hope you’ve had a chance to ponder on the “One Another” scriptures I posted on Wednesday. I don’t know what they did in your heart or what you observed about them, but this is what God was screaming to me: We have to fulfill these scriptures because we are commanded to and the only way we can fulfill them is to be in close relationship with others. I know if we all understood this—not just in our minds but in our hearts, Christians’ lives would be more unified, more mature, more powerful and a lot more stress-free.

Unified—brought together to form a single unit or entity* (John 13:35)
Jesus said the world would know us Christians by our love for each other. When people see us loving on each other through the “One Another” scriptures, it will be clearly evident that we are not just moral people doing good things but that we belong to Jesus Christ, that He is the one who brought us together to form the single unit of the body of Christ.

Maturity—the state of being fully grown or developed (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Being in relationship with others striving like you provides the space to challenge any stagnation. As we fulfill the “One Another” scriptures, we help each other to examine ourselves and move beyond our immaturities, be they emotional, social, mental or spiritual.

Powerful—having or exerting great physical or mental strength; possessing the strength or qualities to produce a fast and effective result; able to produce a strong effect on people’s ideas or emotions (Acts 1:8).
Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit so we’d have power to live impactful lives. Living out the “One Another” scriptures causes us to allow the Holy Spirit to lead our lives, thus making dramatic change for the better in our and others’ lives.

Stress-free—free from mental, emotional or physical strain (James 5:16)
When the “One Another” scriptures are in effect, we have the support of other Christians and know we aren’t alone in our battles. Sure God is our ultimate help, but He placed us in each others’ lives to be able to combat opposing forces together.

I know many of us have not had positive experiences being close with others, even other Christians. Because of these experiences, we may be hesitant to fulfill the “One Another” scriptures and allow others to help us through them. Please know this: your bad experience shaped your past reality but through faith Jesus can control your current and future realities. You must believe that by following the commands of His scriptures you will reap the good that God intends for you to reap (John 10:10). “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good” so you can be on your way to a unified, mature, powerful and stress-free life (Psalm 34:8).

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith
*All definitions taken from the Encarta Dictionary English (North America)

Tips for Activating Good Will

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With Sisters in Christ

1. Resolve in your mind that you want God’s will above your will (Matthew 26:39).
2. Don’t vent to others unless they are wise counselors and you are seeking biblical advice. You may be unknowingly gossiping about the person.
3. Meet with the person who has offended with you. Discuss your issues with biblical reconciliation at the forefront of your mind (Matthew 18:15-16; Philippians 4:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Galatians 6:1; and James 5:16).
4. Meet again with a mediator if you two don’t come to a biblical resolution. Remember there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14). Make sure you both agree on who any additional people should be. These should be people who are known to strive to meet biblical standards of reconciliation.
5. Understand that reconciliation may not be immediately available, but that doesn’t mean you don’t strive for it (Matthew 18:17; Romans 12:18).
6. Continue to work to do God’s will with your sister in Christ or without her, making sure not to slander her.

In the World

7. Fulfill God’s commands to impact the world for Christ (Isaiah 61:1-2). In Christ’s stead, we must be his hands and feet on the earth to meet the needs of people.
a. Preach gospel of Christ to those in need. Do everything you can to tell people about salvation through Jesus Christ. Don’t stop there. Show people, through your actions, the power and love of Jesus by
b. feeding the hungry.
c. clothing the naked.
d. binding up (bandage or heal the wounds of) the brokenhearted.
e. comforting all that mourn.
Do all these for individuals you know, through your church, established organizations or a ministry you begin. The point is: Don’t make an excuse for not doing good: being kind to your brothers and sisters in Christ and showing benevolence to those throughout the world. This is the call for all Christians, including the strong black woman who’s trying to refocus her attitude from simply doing good to look good but doing good because goodness emanates from her changed heart that seeks to be like Christ.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Kindness: Serious Christianity

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Evangelist Minetta Hare said that people don’t take Christianity seriously because Christians don’t take Christianity seriously. That cut deep when I read that because I know for the most part that is true. We Christians display our lack of seriousness when we aren’t willing to sacrifice for Jesus Christ and His kingdom.

“Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us” (Ephesians 4:32).

On Monday I posted this as one of two scriptures that I based how Christians should exhibit being good, not just going along to get along but truly displaying Christ-like behavior. An Ephesians 4-32 word study paints with clarity the picture that should be our lives: We are required to be useful for each other, compassionate toward each other, pardoning each other’s violations toward us just as God the Father forgave the sins of those who trust in Christ because of Christ’s sacrifice for us. We must do what’s required in Ephesians 4:32 for Christ’s sake, not the sake of our comfort, not the sake of our feelings, not the sake of our tough reputation, not the sake of us not being played but because Christ went to great lengths for our forgiveness; we, too, must go to great lengths to be Christ-like and forgive our brothers and sisters their trespasses. This is what we are required to do. This helps us to help one another grow (be useful). This shows the world the true nature of Christ. This is a big part of taking Christianity seriously.

“. . .[L]et us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, . . .” (Hebrews 12:1).

Each of us has our own weights and a plaguing sin that keeps us from doing what God would have us to do. We always have to fight against these. But I believe that every Christian must fight against what prevents us from being good, fulfilling the commands in Ephesians 4:32. Giving in to ourselves only shows that we are operating for our own sake and not the sake of Christ and His kingdom. Our charge is to be good, to be like Christ, taking Christianity seriously so that others take Christianity seriously.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Hypocrite No More

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She was convinced that her friend did it on purpose, even though the friend denied it. At first she believed her friend, but the evidence against her was mounting and was now overwhelming. Instead of talking to her friend, again, and even bringing a mediator to the meeting, she decided that she would be cordial when she saw her at church, simply smile and speak. That would be it. “I’m still going to be kind to her,” she told me. “I have nothing against her, but I’m just going to smile and speak and keep going.”

I understood her reaction, having done as much myself. It takes a lot of energy to mend a situation that 1) you didn’t cause; 2) came about because it seems like someone lied; and 3) ranks on your list as trifling, and those you choose to do without. Yet the Scripture tells us to be good, which speaks to being useful in your disposition, expressed through the way you speak and what you do. This goes beyond the motions of speech and act but comes from a heart that seeks to be like Christ.

“By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).

“Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).

The goodness that we are called to is based upon these scriptures. Our behavior is not about us going along (going through the motions of speech and action) to get along (appearing that all is well amongst us). It’s about showing the world who we, Christians, belong to. Going beyond the appearance of good to actually saying and doing what is useful gives credibility to Christianity and Christians who call on the name of Jesus Christ as lord and savior. Judgment begins at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). And what better way to begin this process than with self-examination? We must seek true transformation in our interactions so the good we do is contagious and truly reflective of a heart seeking to be like Christ.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Resourceful Woman

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Joshua's first day in public school

Joshua's first day in public school

Resourceful Woman
I am a sonic force
Building lives
And busting lies
Told to them, about them, to bury them, deter them
To make them just quit.

With a well-placed word
Stuck in faces
That place me as other
I defend to no end
And regulate as I calculate to conquer these sins.

Who am I?

I am a soul warrior
Stepping boldly to my Father’s thorn
Telling him what’s happening, all that’s gone wrong.
Battling the heavens by letting the Spirit lead my cries
Trusting in His word
And turning my sighs into high fives
Cuz I know the outcome of my steppin’ boldly
He’s gonna work all things out, just like he told me
Cause I love him and am called by him
For his purpose and not mine
And He will establish it.

Who am I?

I’m a crafty soul lifter
Speaking life to the listless
Empowering limbs of the shiftless
Changing minds of the helpless
Soothing hearts of the hopeless

I see a need and take heed
To my calling
I regard all that’s in my sight
Calling it out
Praying it out
Laying it out
In the physical and the spiritual
Using all that’s within me
And whatever I can find that’s without me

I use my intellect and spiritual connects to keep it all tact
And you better believe that!
Who am I?

I am a woman
Not every woman
But a resourceful one
Pulling all the stops
And not ever stopping
Until the oppressors bow
The weak and hopeless get strength
and helpless don’t cow
And the resources brought forth
To make the seemingly impossible come forth for justice and peace
Security and meat
A prosperous life that’s complete
All that is needed for me and my family.

Like the Proverbs 31 woman, we are called to be resourceful, to go out of our way to make provisions for our families. We may not be a seamstress, business woman, early riser or gardener, but strength and honor can be our clothing, and we can ask God for wisdom and kindness to look “well to the ways of (our) household” (Proverbs 31:25-27). This call to be resourceful is what led me to fight for my son Joshua to be placed in public school when he was rejected.

Joshua outside of 2nd grade classroom

Joshua outside of 2nd grade classroom

My fight got him in where God wanted him, and I am happy to say that Joshua said “I was a little scared at first (to go to school), but then I calmed down. I liked it a lot. We learned a lot. I had a lot of fun.” When we follow God’s plan and are the resourceful women God has called us to be, things will work out in our favor, not necessarily like we want but just like what God wants for the prosperity of our entire family.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith