Who Are Your Peeps?

Scriptural Reference: Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 18:24; Proverbs 27:17

My maternal grandmother takes the word “friend” seriously, so you will not hear her calling casual acquaintances “friends.” Designate one of her associates a “friend” and she will quickly define the criteria of friendship. The scriptures, however, provide the clearest definitions of friendship. Nowadays, it appears that there are very few authentic relationships, as most are built on the concept of “what can you do for me?” And not, “how can we help one another?”

While Christ is the ultimate friend, the example of friendship that encourages me is the story of the paralyzed man in Luke 5:17-20. His healing depended on a few good friends. Jesus was teaching and so many people had gathered at the place where he preached, the man’s four friends realized that the only way to get him to Jesus would be to open the roof and lower the man into the dwelling. Jesus recognized the faith of his friends, and healed the paralyzed man because of that faith.

Do you have friends who would do the unthinkable to help you secure a blessing or healing?

When I landed my first professional job interview in Eden, North Carolina, my friend and sorority sister, Shana, agreed to travel with me to the backwoods. Eden is a small town located about 30 miles outside of Greensboro and about 10 miles from the Virginia line.

We gassed up the Geo Prism and were off to Eden...

We got lost after passing through Greensboro. Shana couldn't read the map and I began to scream and demand directions. Note: these were the days before Google and MapQuest. While my other friends would have told me where to put my map, Shana just searched in silence. Did I mention it was about 95 degrees and my car did not have air conditioning? Well, I arrived on time and Shana just drove around the town until my interview was completed.

When I moved four times in five years, Shana participated in three of those experiences, and even found herself crawling into a dumpster when I moved at the beginning of 2000. In the process of throwing away boxes, I mistakenly threw my keys in the receptacle that contained the remnants of New Year's Day meals. I will never forget that big pan of barbecue sauce that I encountered.

Shana crawled in as I stood by directing the rescue and recovery effort. It was dark and we could not see until a neighbor discovered us and returned with a flashlight. We found the keys after an hour of dumpster diving; Shana later found a bruise on her thigh. Thankfully, she had just gotten a tetanus shot!

These are my most memorable events, but Shana always recalls our little detour to Sandy Flats. Don't ask how we got there. We may not talk for months, but I always know she will be there if I ever needed to get to the roof.

Haters Can’t Cancel Your Dreams

Scriptural Meditation: Genesis 37-50

The Hip Hop generation has made the words “hateration” and “haterade” popular terms. While the concepts may appear new, Ecclesiastes 1:9 specifically tells us, “there is nothing new under the sun.” Hateration has existed since biblical times, and the life of Joseph is one such example. Joseph’s story helps us understand how the children of Israel ended up in Egypt and consider the providence of God. The narrative also serves as a reminder of what not to do with your dreams.

Joseph’s father identifies him as the chosen son; he is not only the favored son, but also the son of Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel. Joseph is both a dreamer and an interpreter of dreams. In the beginning, the 17-year- old dreamer was a little naïve, as he shares his visions with people who chose to “hate” and not “celebrate.” His brothers thought that if they could destroy the dreamer they could destroy the dream.

Some of us are 27, 37, 47, 57 and we are naive in the sense that we have received a dream, a vision, and instead of keeping it to ourselves, we go and share it with others. As the young people would say, you just put it “on blast.” You go post it on the social networking sites, MySpace and Facebook, and tell everybody what God has done or will do. In a time when people are more concerned with our demise and not our success, we have to guard our hearts and dreams.

While we must share our testimonies and tell of God’s blessings, we must mark “embargo” on some of our blessings. The word, “embargo,” often appears at the top of press releases sent to journalists and media organizations. That notation indicates that the information is only to be released on or after a specific date and not a minute earlier. Like the info in the press release, some things in your life are not quite ready for publication.

No matter what Joseph’s brothers or his captors did, they could not cancel his dreams. Remember, no matter what anyone does or attempts to do, they cannot redirect your dreams. They cannot destroy your purpose; they cannot abort your calling. They can hate, but they cannot take away those things God placed inside of you.
I am a living witness that haters might disrupt your sleep, but they cannot cancel your dreams.

Where is Your Title in the Library?

2 Corinthians 3
3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

The other day I had to repent after cutting a fool with a lab tech who was attempting to handle me after a four-hour doctor’s visit that included x-rays and lab work. I am fine. I did not anticipate eating lunch at 4 p.m., so I blamed low blood sugar or hunger on my reaction. One of the lab workers grabbed me a cup of juice, as she realized that drawing blood was not going to helping the situation. I was one grumpy little woman, and I was not a very good epistle to read in that moment.

Our actions have to speak louder than our words. Today, consider what kind of text people translate when they see your life.

Are you a trashy novel, a tabloid, or a devotional?

The next time, I will follow my spirit and grab an apple and a jacket before I head out to my next appointment. Better yet, I am just going to stay well and at home.

Pray my strength and continue to walk in your blessings!

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