Withness 9: Who's Your Rhoda? - You Need a "Little One"

Read Acts Chapter 12.

Who is Rhoda? I don't know about you, but that name did not ring a bell in my scriptural repertoire. Only after reading the reference in the story from Sweet, I was then able to realize the faith and the "littleness" of Rhoda, and the impact her faith had on others.

What a powerful quote from Sweet, "It took a child to point out to them the reality of answered prayer." Have you ever been righted or the truth revealed by a child? What was the circumstance and what did you learn? Did it make it more real to you?

Sweet encourages us to find a "Rhoda", someone like a child who has a childlike faith that trusts God as the One in charge - not necessarily understanding, but loving or honoring Him.

Sweet acknowledges the power of stories in this chapter, and many other chapters. He emphasizes that we all need stories to function and live. Children especially need stories to help give their lives stability and reason. Remembering stories is one way that we can reconnect ourselves to our childhood, reconnect ourselves to our own internal Rhoda. When was the last time you enjoyed reading a story? When is the last time you got caught up in a story? How did it make you feel?

A Few Attributes of Rhodas - Rhoda Disciplines:
(1) Rhodas Keep You Snug - they unite our daydreams and our night dreams into one, helping us realize that God is at work in our lives - listen to your heart and dream dreams. When was the last time you lived a dream?
(2) Rhodas Keep You Scared - they help you master your fears, but also acknowledge them at the same time - it is not all a Thomas Kinkade picture!
(3) Rhodas Keep You Small - they help us realize that meaning and significance are in the small things, not just the large; they also emphasize that we can live large loving little - they also challenge us to ask questions. When was the last time that you asked a question, not assuming you knew the answer?
(4) Rhodas Keep You Light - they remind us of novelty and surprise. "Gravity is an adult disease that leads to the grave." What do you think about this quote? Are you a realist or an idealist?
(5) Rhodas Keep You Alive - they help us realize that everything around us is alive - we need to live more in the present, not just the past or future.

A Few Questions to Help us Understand and Find Our Rhoda...

Is anyone ever too old to hold a stranger in his or her arms or heart?

What were some of the make believe games you played as a child? Can you identify some of the life skills you were learning while you were making believe?

Does play always need to be "productive play"? Or is "sheer pleasure" a life skill that we need to learn?

Are you willing to do little? Is the little beneath you? Are you too big to do small? Children help us see the mustard-seed meaning of life. What does this mean to you?