Our friend and colleague, Dr. Rhonda Kelley, passed away recently after battling cancer for the past few years. Rhonda was the wife of Dr. Chuck Kelley, former President of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She was an iconic leader, impacting millions of women through her work editing The Women’s Study Bible and other published material that will carry her influence forward through another generation. But for Ann and me, her impact was more personal.
Rhonda was the same person every time, in every circumstance, every time we connected for more than twenty years. She was a Christian—a real one—who treated people with kindness, respect, and honor. There wasn’t anything fake about her—no public persona which masked private behavior. Rhonda was who she was—not an actress playing a role as a public leader but a genuine Jesus-follower who lived out her faith in everyday ways.
When you live and work in the public eye, particularly dealing with the level of criticism prevalent in the Christian community today, it is hard to maintain your spiritual and emotional equilibrium. Frustration builds, anger erupts, and damage results! But that was not the way Rhonda handled the trials of public life and the difficult people she encountered. She had a remarkable ability to see the best in people, find ways to work with everyone, and say a kind word instead of a cutting remark. We admired Rhonda and spoke often of her as an inspiring role model.
Rhonda’s death frustrated us in only one way – it was way too soon. We wonder sometimes why God allows evil people to prosper while good people die seemingly untimely deaths. It is a mystery, but one we trust to God who oversees the course of life and death. So, rather than grouse about the unfairness of it all, we will choose the path Rhonda modeled for us. We will trust God, speak positively of his care, and trust his grace.
We also commit to the virtue of kindness which seems lost in our generation. Beyond her significant public impact, personal kindness is the legacy of Rhonda Kelley which inspires and motivates us for continued service.
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