Author Archives: Rhonda J. Smith

Cut the Fuss

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I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

If I hear one more “If she. . .” or “But she. . .” after someone has said she has forgiven her sister, I just might scream. Dwelling on the offense is an offense in itself. It debilitates the speaker, slanders the original offender, gives credence to Christianity being weak, and wastes time in the battle for souls for Christ. I want a change; so I, like Paul, plead with the sisters who are beefing to be of the same mind in the Lord, and I urge others with influence to help any women they see bickering, giving more attention to their beef than to the cause of Christ.

Help them drop their nets.

Yes, Jesus told His disciples to drop their nets—meaning to give up their jobs, to follow Him. But some of us need to drop our nets of bickering because this can be a full-time job for us. We give so much attention to the detail of our fleshly battle that we have become all-consumed, just like the attention we give to full-time work. Drop your net and agree with each other in the Lord to continue “in the cause of the gospel.”

Paul wanted Euodia and Syntyche to work out their differences by focusing on the Lord. What does the Lord say about us getting along? This should be our focus. When we focus on our feelings and the offenses and can’t get pass them, we are exalting these issues above God. They have become idols that God tells us to tear down. We must tear them down not just so the world sees our harmony but that we might have harmony to do God’s work together. I believe this is what Paul was having these Christians focus on: God and his work that needs to be done. He first said he wanted Euodia and Syntyche to agree but not just agree in any way (going along to get along) but agreeing in the Lord (renewing their minds to line up with Jesus’ thoughts and actions). This is the only way that we can reach out to a dying world and rescue people from the grips of the enemy.

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

Unnatural Affection

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As I pondered my lesson for the women’s ministry service this week for the “World is in Your Womb” series (lessons on motherhood) at my church, I continued to be struck with Pastor Renee’s notion of maternal vision and blind parenting. In my message I kept that theme going as I looked at the biblical mothers Jochebed (Moses’ mom) (Exodus 2:1-10) and Rebekah (Jacob and Esau’s mom) (Genesis 25:19-34; 27). Jochebed represented the one with maternal vision and Rebekah was the blind mother.

I found that Jochebed was selfless, because she was
1. Cooperative. She didn’t fight against what God showed her about Moses. She went out of her way to ensure the best for her son.
2. Concentrated. She maintained her focus on her plans to save Moses. She never gave up but continued to be diligent.
3. Careful. She was meticulous with her efforts. She took her time like a skilled craftsman.

Opposite Jochebed was Rebekah, who was selfish, because her efforts were
1. Comfortable. She did what felt good to her.
2. Convenient. She did what came easy for her. She didn’t trust God with the unknown but worked to make prophecy come to pass in her own strength.
3. Calculating. She spent a great amount of time figuring out how to scheme, a method that was within her reach.

So though we must strive to be like Jochebed, there are a lot of reasons we fail and are blind mothers. Pastor Renee outlined these practical reasons in her blog post on Monday, which is definitely where Rebekah fell, but I want us to consider spiritual implications:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) (italics mine).

So while we are working hard against our natural selfish tendencies, we must also work hard against our two other enemies, the world and the devil. These perilous times have come and mothers now lack “natural affection” for their children. A mother should naturally want her children, care for her children, fight for her children, and raise her children to be the best they can be. But this lacking of natural affection has entered our cultural landscape, has spread into Christianity, and has made many of us challenge the biblical notions of nurturing our children. What we are up against is more than a flesh and cultural war but a spiritual battle that only God’s word can equip us to handle. Timothy tells us to “turn away” from people who don’t have natural affection. This includes you turning away from the you that lacks natural affection and seeking God to restore to you what is essentially your birthright as a mother.

So I urge you mothers to gird your loins with truth, and put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand Satan’s schemes that have duped many of us to believe that it’s okay to be a Rebekah and too much work to be a Jochebed (Ephesians 6:10-18). Don’t fall for his lies but believe that God can restore to you natural affection for your children so you raise them to be the godly seed that they are supposed to be.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith