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Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other,
making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.
Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit,
and bind yourselves together with peace.

Ephesians 4:2-3, NLT

I thought about giving somebody a piece of my mind the other day. Then I thought, “Know what? I really can’t spare it!” I tend to suffer a bit of a brain cell shortage as it is. Why give any away when I need every piece?

But isn’t it amazing how some people know just how to find our anger buttons…and then they jump up and down on them?

I don’t wonder for a second why there’s so much in the Bible about relationships—heavy on the patience and forbearing and forgiveness and the go-the-extra-mile kind of love. I think so much of scripture is dedicated to relationships because our Heavenly Father knows they can be oh so hard. Let’s face it, people can be jerky. And even when they’re not, sometimes I am.

So I guess this is just a little charge for all of us today. Let’s love each other. It’s our calling. Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jesus gave it in the form of a command, not as a suggestion. And according to our Savior himself, we wear our love for each other as a Disciple ID badge. We can show the world that Jesus makes a difference in our lives.

It does require extra humility and patience. But there’s nothing like living in obedience, and living in a way that promotes peace with God’s people. Paul instructed in Ephesians 4:2-3, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Hmm. Peace of mind instead of a piece of my mind. Not a bad trade. 

Sometimes loving others involves getting rid of our own bad habits, impatient attitudes and short fuses. Ephesians 4:31-32 spells it out: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Difficult? Sometimes. But we not only have the forgiveness of God as our inspiration and the life of Christ as our example, but we also have the Holy Spirit living inside us, giving us everything we need to love others in his name. There’s hardly anything sweeter than enjoying obedience and the sweet bond of peace his gives when we love his people.

So, giving someone a piece of my mind? That makes less sense all the time. And if the Heavenly Father ever does some kind of brain cell inventory and I come up short, I don’t want it to be because I gave someone a piece of my mind. That would just be too embarrassing.

Thanks and News from Rhonda

Thanks to those of you who have been praying for my daughter Kaley and me as we work toward wrapping up our first fiction project. Almost there! We’ll keep you posted.

Interested in a little snippet?

Chapter 18 finds scientist Rick Mayfield struggling to save two quippy, charming and all-too-hard-to-figure teenage boys. Threats on the lives of all three of them buzz around them like flies and Rick is sure he’s out of his league. Tossing and turning when he’d rather be sleeping, he prays through—and stews through—his mission:

God, who am I? A single man. A scientist. I spend most of my time alone because I’m not good at people. I ruin things with people, remember? This task is too big for me. Rick blinked in the darkness as familiar words ghosted through his mind. Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? Moses. Moses spoke those words in Exodus. God answered him then. What did He say? I am with you.

Rick sighed and rolled onto his back. I suppose that’s fair, Father. Moses had been charged with delivering an entire nation. He’d been obedient, and God had been faithful. Rick was no Moses. But then Rick had only been charged with two teenage boys, hadn’t he? And God was still God. Although, if I recall correctly, Rick thought wryly, Moses had a bit of a time before his mission was up. But Rick knew, if he were able to ask Moses—and someday he would—whether the man thought his troubles had been worth it, Moses’ answer would be an immediate and resolute yes. Rick imagined he’d probably say something like, What were my troubles compared to discovering the greatness of an almighty God? What could this world throw at me that God could not use for his glory? Should I really have been so frightened of a man’s empire that I missed out on the opportunity to grow closer to an omnipotent King?

Moses had had an understanding of God that, frankly, Rick couldn’t fully grasp yet. So much of God seemed orderly and logical and perfect in his mind, but too often, he fell short trying to apply it to his life. Maybe this…maybe this was his Moses moment.

Where in the World is Rhonda?

Here's some snapshots of Rhonda

Above: Rhonda at the Chocolate Cafe Left: Rhonda reaches the women gathered to hear her at the Chocolate Cafe

Piece of My Mind vs. Peace of Mind

Thanks and News from Rhonda

Where's Rhonda

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