Tag Archives: Christianity

A Significant Reputation

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    “. . .(A)nd let her works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:31).

Some days are ponder days, and this weekend I had one of those days. As I thought about my accomplishments in comparison to what I still have yet to do, I lamented a bit. My ministry has not had the far-reaching impact that I expected. And as I thought about not having a broader audience like some of my secular counterparts, I heard the Lord say, “You want success and not significance.” Immediately I received the correction. The impact I wanted came with fame; the impact that is necessary comes with a making a positive difference.

Some months ago I learned a good deal about the difference between success and significance. My pastor, Christopher W. Brooks, preached a message on this, warning Christians that our lives should not be about seeking fame and being successful according to the world’s standard of obtaining money and material items and being well-known; we must be about changing lives for Christ’s sake, starting within our own homes.

This was the success of the Proverbs 31 woman. She took care of her husband, children and maids. Because she looked “well to the ways of her household” and was a hard worker, she had a good reputation; her work taking care of her home—a small audience—garnered her praise in her hometown. As I reviewed Pastor Brooks’ message, I understood more what God was telling me: I didn’t want what I already had; I wanted what someone else had. And what I have is significance because I am making a positive influence in the lives of those in my sphere, the gates that He has me within.

I’m not saying that we should shun money, material items or popularity. But our emphasis should be on accomplishing the goals God has given to us, and these goals always start with taking care of home. This is the greatest area of significance. This gives you a good reputation.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Work It Right

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Right before Halloween I saw a woman at Target that I used to work with. She looked a bit harried. No, she looked downright frazzled and worn. I asked how she was doing, and she gave me the obligatory “fine” before going into why she was at the store and rushing to get out:

“Girl, yeah I still work there. Um, hum,” she said as she pierced her lips and rolled her eyes. “I have four kids, so going to work is a break for me, though. I’m at Target to get Halloween costumes. They have costumes for Trick or Treating, for a party at school and one of them has a birthday party that I had to get a costume and a gift for. Yeah, girl. When I get home, they be wanting to climb on me and get hugs and help with homework. I say, ‘Ask your daddy. Shoot. I’ve been working all day.’”

“All right, girl. I’ll see you later. God bless you, okay?”

“All right, Rhonda. See you later.”

And I hope to see her later to tell her, “That ain’t right. It ain’t right that you are 1) working a job to get away from your kids; 2) working hard to get your kids multiple Halloween costumes; 3) working hard to shun your children’s affection; and 4) working hard to avoid helping your kids with homework. It just ain’t right. This is not the working hard that a mother should do.” Many of us are hard workers, working hard at the wrong things and not having the energy to work hard at the right things, like cleaning our homes, nurturing our husbands and children, and being a reliable and trustworthy friend. This just ain’t right!

The best question to ask is “Is what I’m choosing to do most beneficial for what God has called me to do?” This was the question that stood out in my mind when I had to make the decision about feeding and educating my first child. It was breast milk v. formula and home school v. public school. I had good reason to choose formula over breast milk because Joshua could not latch on. And every indicator pointed to God guiding me to home school my attention craved child. I chose to express my breast milk so Joshua could have the best food available to him and to home school though I felt ill-equipped and non-desirous.

On many occasions I felt like my old colleague. In fact, I would say about Joshua’s clinginess, “He didn’t get the memo. The (umbilical) cord has been cut!” In my flesh I didn’t want to express milk and THEN have to feed my baby or homeschool. Using formula and sending Josh to school would have been more convenient for me. But I knew breast milk and home school would be best for him so I worked hard to give him both. We all must decide what’s most beneficial in order to accomplish what God has called us to do and not what we want to do. Working hard ain’t easy, but doing so for the right things saves a lot of time and energy and truly pleases the Lord.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Lead & Follow Hard

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If you think it’s hard thinking about working hard so you can be pure and blameless upon Jesus’ return, try thinking about Jesus while engaged in everyday responsibilities. I’m not talking about the old cliché “What Would Jesus Do?” I’m talking about the Scriptures that command what your standard behavior should be when you work for and supervise others.

Servants, obey in all things [your] masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons (Colossians 3:22-25).

A similar scripture passage in Ephesians (6:9) includes how masters should treat their servants, but I want to revisit the scripture that I used in my last entry:

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds (Proverbs 27:23).

We see that whether you are working for someone or supervising someone, you are commanded to be selfless. Yes, there are great personal benefits for working hard, as we saw last time, but these scriptures show that keeping others in mind should be our focus: our supervisors, our subordinates and, above all, Jesus to help us do the right thing with both groups.

So the next time you want to sigh about your boss’ request, ask yourself would you sigh at Jesus. Or when you want to just sit your ADD son in front of the television instead of engaging him in a calming activity so you can have time to yourself, ask yourself 1) is watching TV doing him (or you) any good and 2) would you leave Jesus to Himself while you took care of personal pleasures.

What we see is that the Bible considers a hard worker as one who works at things they desire to do AND one who works hard to do the right thing even when they don’t want to (1 Peter 2:13-19). Working hard to please God and not man (even you) is the righteous standard. This is not always easy, but because God requires it and has given us His Holy Spirit, His requirement is more than fair; in actuality it should be a cinch. I don’t know about you, but I had to say ‘ouch’ to that.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Working Hard for Jesus?

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“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace” 1 Peter 3:14

How many of us have this as a theme scripture for our lives? Really, how many of us seek to work hard so that we can be undefiled, blameless and at peace upon Jesus’ return? For most of us it’s “work hard to get that pay check” or we do so for a personal sense of pride. I don’t think many of us are thinking about Christ’s return when we go to work every day, when we work on that special project or even when we are raising our children. Our minds may be far from Scripture when we go about our routine tasks even though the Bible tells us of other reasons we should work hard:

1. He becometh poor that dealeth [with] a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich (Proverbs 10:4).

2. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute (Proverbs 12:24).

3. The soul of the sluggard desireth, and [hath] nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat (Proverbs 13:4).

4. The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness; but of every one [that is] hasty only to want (Proverbs 21:5).

5. Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men] (Proverbs 22:29).

6. Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds (Proverbs 27:23).

Being rich, in charge, and otherwise prosperous (1-5) are great benefits for us being hard workers, but we are also required to work hard for the benefit of others, as item six tells us: We should work hard to know how well those we are given charge over are faring and to do what we can to help them. We shouldn’t work hard just to reap earthly benefits but so that Jesus will find us the way He expects upon His return for us. This is the great challenge for us but one with an understanding of Scripture that will be easier to achieve.

Copyright by Rhonda J. Smith

5 More Physical Beauty Tips

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I realized that my last blog post was singularly focused on clothing. As you know, physical grooming is more than a nice outfit. You must make sure that you don’t mess up your clothes with bad body order, a whack hairdo, the wrong or no makeup and mismatched accessories. So this post is dedicated to encouraging you to get these areas right so your outfit will be tight!

1. Make sure you smell good before you look good. Most women in my blog demographic would find this tip insulting and rightfully so. If there is anything you wouldn’t be suffering from it is bad body odor. You know that it’s best to shower or bathe daily because anything less than that allows odor-causing bacteria to find a home in your underarms and private parts. But for the small minority of you who think that you can consistently get away with showering once a week or so and opting for a wash at your bathroom sink, think again, like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I don’t think so! And please remember to have fresh breath by brushing, flossing, and professionally cleaning your teeth. Don’t forget the mouthwash and mints.
2. Find a hair stylist that works for you. This could be at a salon, a friend or even you once you find out what looks work with you, what you can afford and who can provide you the service (including nurturing healthy hair) that you need. Don’t compromise because of money or convenience if your outcome would look like you didn’t get your hair done at all. Barter services. Read magazines, websites and blogs to find out what to do with your hair texture and head and facial structure. Keep your hair clean by not going beyond your regular treatment times. Do the best you can within your means.
3. Apply makeup to highlight your natural features or go without it. I love makeup, but when I apply more than my basics (eyeliner, lipstick and sometimes foundation), I look made up, not like an enhanced beauty. If you don’t have an eye for makeup application or know what colors bring out your natural features, consult professionals, like Chevelle Downs or Rashida TheGlamDoctor Williams.
4. Don’t over- or under-accessorize. There’s nothing more distracting than a huge pair of earrings and a bodacious necklace with an already decorative outfit. Accessories should enhance, not overpower, your look. If you have to ask, “Is this too much?” it probably is.
5. Keep your nails together. You don’t have to have a manicurist to make sure your nails aren’t ragged. Have at a minimum a nailbrush, clippers and file so you can keep your nails neat and clean. Polish or a nail salon is always a wonderful option if you have the time and money.
Taking the time and energy to care for your temple not only makes you look good but provides the perfect canvas to paint the “picture perfect” representative for Jesus Christ.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith