Spiritual Dishonesty

Weekly Thought – April 14, 2026

Fred referred to himself as doing “crooked thinking on the straight and narrow.” Leadership Journal titled an article in 1983, Straight Answers in a Crooked Age. Fred’s article on intellectual integrity within the community of faith is excerpted this week.

“Is this Fred Smith who wrote You and Your Network?” The question from a stranger at Asbury Seminary began a conversation on Fred’s impact. God’s wisdom never ages. Fred is in heaven, but his earthly work continues.

Spiritual Dishonesty

I was playing golf with the head of a financial company. Out of the blue he asked me, “Fred, do you think God will take away my money because I’m not active in church?” “What makes you think he will?” I asked. “My family tells me he will.” They’re using religion to police him. No wonder so many have a jaundiced view of our God.

This goes on all the time. I was listening to the tape of a Christian friend’s funeral. The officiating minister said, “Jesus got lonesome in heaven and took Chuck home to be with him.” What is that widow supposed to think about such a capricious God? What do his children and grandchildren think about a God who gets so lonesome He takes away someone they love? I thought to myself if Jesus wasn’t with Chuck during life, then Chuck isn’t with Jesus now! What intellectual dishonesty.

Growing up in a parsonage I had a bird’s eye view of people who took out their hostilities intimidating others with the threat of God’s displeasure. It took me a long time to understand a God of grace.

I was speaking at a meeting in our state capital. After the meeting, a young man with a bright, but noticeably serious, face came up to me. “Mr. Smith, do you have anything I can say to my wife? We have just lost our two year old son.” He paused and then quietly said, “Do you think I am getting paid back for my past sins?”

I don’t know who put that idea in his head, but I would love to write that person a long letter about the nature of God. I would write about a God I know who doesn’t carry out grudges against unsuspecting and innocent children. As I said this to him, he was relieved.

We are called to spiritual integrity. We are called to rightly represent God.

This week think carefully about: 1) What inaccurate views of God am I carrying? 2) How do others attempt to police me for their own ends? 3) What freedom in Christ am I being called to display?

Words of Wisdom: “We are called to rightly represent God.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17 NET Bible)

Purposeful Mentoring

Weekly Thought – April 7, 2026

Fred believed in stretching by adding responsibility. He assumed others wanted to do their best and to grow; he mentored by adding weight.

“The weekly thought came at just the right time for me. Thank you continuing Fred’s work,” wrote a North Carolina man. He is growing through stretching.

Purposeful Mentoring

A common mistake is thinking mentoring means older men visiting with younger men without an agenda and moving eventually toward a Bible study or prayer time. Visiting, Bible study, and prayer are all excellent activities, but they are not mentoring.

Mentoring is a one-on-one relationship for the specific and definable development of a skill or an art. One of my favorite mentoring stories is the young pianist who came to Leonard Bernstein and asked to be mentored. Bernstein said, “Tell me what you want to do, and I will tell you whether or not you’re doing it.”

When you analyze this, you realize Bernstein truly understood mentoring. The young man initiated the contact, had a specific request, and made the request of an authority. I assume the young man didn’t come to Bernstein only to get rich as a concert artist, but because he wanted to be a better pianist.

I am often asked, “How do I look for the right mentor?” The mentor and mentoree must share a compatible philosophy. Our goals and methods are really an expression of our fundamental life philosophies. As a Christian, in mentoring someone who wants to grow spiritually, the process must be built on divine principles. A young man came to me asking for my help in making him a millionaire. That was his life’s goal. His focus was on materialistic, humanistic outcomes. I told him we were not compatible philosophical, so I would not be a good mentor for him.

The mentor needs to be knowledgeable in the subject and objective in his assessments. The mentor who says what the mentoree wants to hear is irresponsible. He should not counsel in matters in which he is not an expert or pass judgment in subjects beyond his limitations. It is important to be able to say, “I don’t know; I’ve had no experience with that.” But, if that becomes a common response, this is not a good mentoring relationship.
The mentoree comes to learn and the mentor must have skills and experiences that promote the growth.

This week think about: 1) What skills do I have to offer a mentoree? 2) Who is my current mentor? 3) How do I ascertain if my philosophy matches another’s?

Words of Wisdom: “Mentoring is a one-on-one relationship for the specific and definable development of a skill or an art.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!” (Proverbs 1:5 NET Bible)

Making Peace

Weekly Thought – March 31, 2026

Fred wrote for Leadership Journal from its inception. He created interest by choosing subjects which most avoided. He worked with Harold Myra, Paul Robbins, and Marshall Shelley for years as they brought cutting edge material to the marketplace. This week’s thought is excerpted from a 1984 article titled “Why Peacemakers Aren’t Popular.” In today’s environment, a word about peace is helpful.

Encouraging emails this week comment on the ongoing value of Fred’s thinking. “It could have been written last week” is a frequent expression. That is the benefit of principle-based work. “Only the illustrations change,” said Fred.

Have you been stretched by Fred’s words? Who else needs to know about the Weekly Thought? Help us expand the reach and deepen the impact of Fred’s lifework by sharing.

Making Peace

Nothing I know starts fights faster than the subject of peacemaking. In principle, of course, everyone is for it. But it’s amazing how defensive and hostile people get trying to make peace.

One of the reasons peacemaking isn’t popular is simply because some have a vested interest in conflict. We see this in union/management negotiations, and sadly, even in the church. I have seen leaders take up the “purification of the church” cause thinking they are defending God. Personally, I don’t think God needs help, especially from the hostile.

Peacemaking is an action springs out of the right attitude. Sure, we will have differences, but they shouldn’t create anger and separation. Mishandling differences just raises the emotional temperature. We aren’t supposed to be fever-makers, but peace-makers.

We don’t redeem situations by changing organizational structures. We redeem them by bringing in a different spirit – the spirit of Christ – even if it means we’ll lose. As difficult as this is for me personally, it’s still true.

The Spirit of Christ eliminates the inflammation and inflammatory.

It’s amazing with the nearly universal desire for peace, very few people are willing to pay the price it requires. Like the rest of the traits mentioned in the Beatitudes, peacemaking is admired as an ideal and ignored as a reality. Too many of us prefer power to peace.

What Christians must remember is power does not come by vanquishing others. Power doesn’t even come by defending the right causes or the purity of our theology. No, true power (and peace) come through humility and obedience. And that’s a price few are willing to pay.

Think about: 1) How interested am I in peacemaking? 2) What price am I paying for peace? 3) What do I “go to the wall” for?

Words of Wisdom: “Too many of us prefer power to peace.”

Wisdom from the Word: “The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:26 NET Bible)

Great Teachers Are

Weekly Thought – March 24, 2026

Fred distilled. He took information and absolutely squeezed it dry until he had the essence and the principles. Then, he used them as platforms for magnificent high dives! He read an article by a French music teacher, Nadia Boulanger, on the art of instruction. He commented on the article in a memo to three nationally known teachers who were close friends. Then, he developed his own “attributes of great teachers” list.

Legacy is living and breathing. Fred’s “word of wisdom gift” (as a ministry leader referred to it this week) is being passed on through the lives he touched. Thank you for participating in prayer, words of encouragement, and financial gifts as we build the Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute.

Great Teachers Are…

Allen Shawn interviewed the French music teacher, Nadia Boulanger, for the Atlantic Monthly. His summation makes me think about great teachers: “She was devoted above all to God, and to the idea of music not as the monument of an individual but as mankind’s monument to God.” I like that. So where can we take that? My kids showed me a book, “Love is a Warm Puppy.” Too “ooky-gooky” for me, but it got me to thinking, Great Teachers…

1. Show the student that learning is part of the larger life… the specific course of study is not the whole, but a valuable piece.

2. Shed light on the dark areas of ignorance, showing them the beauty of construction.

3. Express truth that great talent always appears to the owner to be outside himself.

4. Realize we are limited by our emotional capabilities and we should be experience situations which test and expand our emotional wheelbase. Protecting against hurt insulates us from participating in life.

5. Understands candor in coaching should never cause embarrassment.

6. Communicates in vivid images which are unforgettable.

7. Walks comfortably with the transcendental nature of life – sees the longer view.

8. Balances affection and detachment. “I believe in you” is not “I see me in you.”

9. Appreciates the rhythm of learning and the discipline of structured instruction.

10. Recognizes learning consists of layers and layers of understanding and engagement which are constantly being peeled away like an onion.

11. Relishes the transition from memorization of a subject to being overwhelmed by its beauty.

12. Seeks a student who personifies what he or she believes and teaches.

This week carefully consider: 1) Which teacher has influenced me most greatly? 2) Who am I currently teaching? 3) Which of Fred’s points rang a bell with me?

Words of Wisdom: “It is wonderful when a teacher finds a student who personifies what he/she believes and teaches.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Then a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen one. Listen to Him!’” (Luke 9:35 NET Bible)

Follow the Leader

Weekly Thought – March 17, 2026

Fred’s influence on college students enriched his life. Years after being on the Baylor campus he received a letter from a woman student, “Mr. Smith, it was from you I learned to encourage people, to compliment them, to build them up, and brighten their day when at all possible. You taught me to pass it on. Your words of encouragement to me as a student made a difference in my thought patterns and in my life. Your approach to life was positive and I received a lot.”

Fred wrote much on character. This week’s piece is taken from a letter he wrote to his mentor, Maxey Jarman, expressing his thoughts and appreciation.

Follow the Leader

One’s character is largely determined by those whom they follow. Heroes are profitable. “Lives of great men all remind us we can make our life sublime and departing leave behind us, footprints in the sands of time.” Tearing down heroes isn’t helpful; it is dangerous. I am most interested in a man’s heroes. It tells me much about what he wants to become.

It is the rate of build up, not the tear down, which determines a man’s progress.

Your example of duty fulfillment is now a part of my life. I admire it in you. I copied it, not as perfectly as you demonstrated it, but enough so it a genuine part of my own character. My miniature copy is real. As A.W. Tozer said, “My flame may be small, but it is real.”

Your love for work is also something I caught from you. You were the first to get me to experience the excitement of accomplishment. Other had tried, but you succeeded. Why they failed, I don’t know. Somehow I could accept and be challenged by your example. It certainly isn’t because you talked me into it. You rarely talked about it; you just did it.

My responsibility is to set an example for those looking to me. I don’t know who is watching. We never do, do we? It is really frightening.

One night I was walking across the Baylor campus when a young man caught up and said, “Mr. Smith, today I decided to be another Fred Smith.” I didn’t feel complimented – I felt the weight of the responsibility. At that moment I wished I were all I’ve ever had the potential for being. He rushed on and I never knew who he was or what he has become.

It is not egotistical to want to live a life worth following. Our friend Paul said, “Follow me as I follow my leader.” Knowing that we are examples becomes a driving force, doesn’t it?

This week consider: 1) Who am I following? 2) What character traits are most important to me? 3) Where are the holes in my character?

Words of Wisdom: “It is not egotistical to want to live a life worth following.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” (Mark 1: 17 NET Bible)

Mentor Search

Weekly Thought – March 10, 2026

Fred’s book, You and Your Network, influenced generations of leaders. Editors often chided Fred for his “packed to the gills” writing style, urging him to dilute the material. He was told his books could easily be stretched into two. He preferred stretching people, and not content. This was appreciated by his readers.

A comment from California reflects this: “The main thing that really keeps our attention with You and Your Network is that it cuts out all of the fat, boilerplate, and extra information most authors are so compelled to put into their books just for the weight of it.”

Mentor Search

Over the years I identified seven qualities I look for in a mentor:
1) Do they have wisdom from experience? Scripture says young men are for strength and old men are for wisdom. A mentor must understand the principles of life which I believe, comes from scripture.
2) Do they feel noncompetitive toward younger people? You need a mentor who can relax and say, “This person is a race horse and I am now just the trainer. He’s going to go to the winner’s circle and get the money. I will be happy just making a contribution to that.” Mentoring brings vicarious accomplishment.
3) Can they spot talent? In my first meeting with someone I look for that “unscratchable itch.” Good mentors can assess your current skills and take a good guess at your potential. A good mentor wants to contribute to accomplishment.
4) Is there chemistry between us? One way I check chemistry is to stop and say, “Please repeat to me what I just said.” Sometimes you heard the darndest things. If a person isn’t listening well, there probably won’t be a profitable chemistry.
5) Will they take the responsibility seriously? Does it have meaning to them? Does the relationship count? Can they feel hope? Are they willing to invest the time?
6) Are they willing and able to confront? Confrontation is surgical. If you’re afraid of blood, you should not be in the operating room. And if you primarily want people to like you, you’re not good at confrontation. But a good mentor pauses before confrontation to ask, “Am I saying this in love willing the ultimate good for the other?”
7) Do they ask good questions? My mentor, Maxey Jarman, told me, “Management is supposed to have the answers, but the board is supposed to have the questions.” Likewise, a good mentor should be able to ask good questions. The job of a mentor is to open a window – the right window. And then, point to the best path.

Think about these things: 1) Who is mentoring me? 2) Who am I mentoring? 3) What message do I have to communicate?

Words of Wisdom: “Mentoring brings vicarious accomplishment.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” (Job 12:12 NET Bible)

Commanding Communication

Weekly Thought – March 3, 2026

Fred studied communication throughout his life. He sat down in the 1980s and wrote our ten material elements of good speaking. Often, speakers and speakers-to-be visited with Fred for clarity on the process.

Thanks for including BWF in your prayer life. We seek to continue Fred’s work of stretching others while blessing them to the glory of God.

Commanding Communication

These didn’t come from Sinai, but from years of trial and error. Somebody asked me to outline the speaking process and this is my shot at it:
1) Be believable – The first step to being believable is to believe in your message. Then, your style, dress, speech patterns, vocabulary must be in agreement. Speaking with authority without talking down to the audience allows them to relax and believe in you.
2) Be audience oriented- have the attitude of the servant, never the master. There should always be gratitude for the opportunity to be there. And, importantly, speak to the audience about a subject, never about a subject to the audience.
3) Be personal – There should be a one-on-one relationship between the speaker and the audience. Good communication occurs when the speaker is not removed, or even worse, accusatory.
4) Be prepared – Speak out of the overflow of preparation. Have enough material that appropriate shifts can be made when needed. Be a well-spring of freshness, not a dry hole. Keep on reading, learning, studying before speaking.
5) Be enjoyable – Always give illustrations that allow the audience to take away the key points. Audiences respond to stories – but keep them to the point. Rabbit trails confuse the audience. Giving hope is your job as a communicator. Share good news.
6) Be human – You are not the Messiah, you are not inerrant, you have a message from one human to other humans. Use humor appropriately to move the message. Never use blue humor – it demeans the speaker and the audience.
7) Be empowered – Speak with a pure motive and a clean heart. You are the pipe, not the pump. Let the message flow through you.
8) Communicate to change behavior – Move the audience to take action, but never “work them.” Inscribe on your brain: my job is to motivate, not manipulate.
9) Pray before you speak – I prefer praying before to having the audience praying as I speak, “Help him, Lord; Help him!”
10) Leave them wanting more from you and about the subject. And never violate the time you’ve been given. If the program shortens your time, shorten your speech.

Bottom line: Speak to express, not impress. Communicate to bless.

This week think about: 1) How can I apply these points to my speaking? 2) Which one is most helpful right now? 3) What message do I have to communicate?

Words of Wisdom: “Speak to express, not impress.”

Wisdom from the Word: “For you were made rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge.” (1 Corinthians 1:5 NET Bible)

Self-Improvement: A Way of Life

Weekly Thought – February 24, 2026

Fred believed in self-analysis, but not navel-gazing. He created templates for measurement. “I miss Fred,” wrote a BWF follower. “I often think, ‘what would Fred think about this?’” Interestingly, most people say, “How would Fred think, not what would Fred do?”

Self-Improvement: A Way of Life

When considering the possibilities of success, I measure myself in several categories:

1) Likes. What would I do if I didn’t need a paycheck?

2) Dislikes. What ideas, methods, people, and things do I dislike?

3) Reaction of others. Are people receptive to you and your goals? When you join a new group, how do the others react to your ideas?

4) Personality traits. It is critical to understand how you are wired. Are you quiet or talkative, big picture or detailed, interested in individuals or the big group, quick to make decisions or more contemplative? Find your constructive strengths and your destructive weaknesses – focus on one and bolster the other;

5) Mental capabilities. If you want to be a big frog in a big pond, you better be able to croak as loudly as the other frogs. Mental energy provides the fuel. Is your mind constantly active? Are you a constant learner? Have you continued studying since formal education ended?

6) Physical abilities. Some goals have a high physical price tag. How prepared are you to undertake such a task? Few people can go farther than their health will permit. A goal that costs physical or emotional health is foolish.

7) Patience. Sound progress is most always slow; therefore, patience is required. Gladstone said the key requirement of a great prime minister is patience – the second is patience, and the third is patience. How able are you to postpone gratification for the accomplishment of a greater goal?

8) Determination. In my opinion, this is the element which sets those who achieve goals and those who don’t. How many jobs have you started and left unfinished? The determined know there is always a way around obstacles.

9) Vision. This doesn’t mean just having a dream. Seeing others achieve seemingly impossible goals gives a pattern for personal accomplishment. Vision invigorates the work ethic; daydreaming just energizes the wish ethic. Vision means seeing and doing.

10) Character. the foundation of all success which consists of integrity, self-control, perseverance, and truth. And, I believe a proper spiritual outlook is the cement which holds a true, happy, and successful life together.

This week think about: 1) When did I last evaluate my goals using Fred’s 10 categories? 2) What does my life say to my family and my associates about character? 3) How real are my expectations?

Words of Wisdom: “Vision invigorates the work ethic: daydreaming energizes the wish ethic.”

Wisdom from the Word: “May he grant your heart’s desire; may he bring all your plans to pass! “ (Psalm 20:4 NET Bible)

Straight Talk On Money

Weekly Thought – February 17, 2026

Fred “held court” on Saturdays during his last years. Chairs set up around his hospital bed held young and old who came for their weekly shot of Fredisms. But his influence continues through his writings and the lives he touched who now touch others. A bright, energetic businesswoman remarked last week, “I wish I had made the effort to spend time with Fred, but I am now learning through the website and the weekly thoughts.” Good to see the ripples still spilling out across the water.

Straight Talk On Money

Someday I am going to write a book about money. Eventually most people who come to sit and talk ask me about it. I put down some bullet points about common sense money management. We will flesh them out at another time, but I hope these can be helpful.

1. Money is compatible with happiness if we recognize: a) money is a great servant, but a lousy master; money is means, and never an end; b) golden chains can enslave our families, our employees, and even our friends; money-motivated manipulation is wrong; c) money can be a terrible tyrant – we need to see when too much is too much; d) what we own is not who we are – money should never define us.
2. There is a four way test for money management: a) Do I understand the proper use? b) Can it be gratefully enjoyed? c) Will it be enthusiastically shared? d) What is my capacity for generous giving?
3. Common sense rules for solvency: a) tell yourself the truth; b) live within your income; c) escape the plastic plaque; d) outwit emergencies; e) pay no interest on depreciating assets; e) always put luxuries last
4. Observe these caution signs: a) high return = high risk; b) when you feel greed, STOP; c) if you are ignorant of the what, then know the who; d) stop a loss and continue a gain; e) beware of holy hunches, visions, and coincidences.
5. When loss occurs take the road to recovery: a) stay busy doing the right things; b) organize for plans dispel confusion; c) recognize you can live with the facts; d) never lose the good of a bad situation; e) be redemptive and transform, but don’t conform; f) God is there in the trouble…He is there to be found.

This week think about: 1) What role does money play in my thinking and planning? 2) How do I best use money? 3) When has money become a tyrant?

Words of Wisdom: “Money is a great servant and a lousy master.”

Wisdom from the Word: “The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money; he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income.This also is futile.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10 NET Bible)

Move To Do

Weekly Thought – February 10, 2026

Fred took serious questions seriously. A young executive wrote Fred asking, “Can I really be a Christian and succeed in business?” Fred answered with a 39 page, typed letter. Wouldn’t it be interesting to know what decisions this young man made in the 36 years since he sought Fred’s counsel?

Ron Glosser’s book, The Genealogy of Friendship, explores a lifetime of stretching experiences. His chapter on Fred shares insights and personal stories.

Move To Do

Make results your measure for activity. A friend hung these words prominently on his office wall: “Results is the only excuse for activity.” It sounds obvious, but surprisingly few people are really results oriented. Most are satisfied with activity and best effort. They forget there are no medals for “best effort.”

Results count, not activity.

The best way to stay results oriented is to keep asking “What am I really trying to accomplish?” Those who tell you how hard they work, how many miles they travel, how tough the job is, and expect appreciation for activity alone are not results oriented.

One of my more caustic friends listened to a young executive go on and on about how hard the job was and how tired he was. My friend interrupted, “Please show me the baby, don’t tell me about the labor pains.” I immediately adopted this phrase. Activity and effort are necessary, but rewards are awarded for results.

As a young man at General Shoe Corporation, I was given the task of creating a summary for the military manning table. (This was during the Second World War). I accepted this assignment from the President with great fervor, staying up nights, creating a magnificent chart with hand-lettered categories, and neatly drawn boxes. I could hardly wait to dramatically present my blood, sweat, and tears to Maxey Jarman. Did he applaud me? No, he took one look, and drew a big red line from one corner to the other, making a giant X. “Mr. Jarman, I was up til three AM working on that!” To that he answered, “I’m sorry to hear you say that because I really believe you could have done a lot better in a lot less time.”

Many today would use that as a case study for poor employer/employee relations. But I always felt he taught me more graphically to think of results over effort better than any other experience in my life.

To this day I still begin each day asking myself, “What are you really trying to do today?” And I remind myself that results are the only excuse for activity.

This week consider: 1) How do I keep focused on results? 2) Who models this for me? 3) Where can I apply this right away?

Words of Wisdom: “Activity and effort are necessary, but rewards are awarded for results.”

Wisdom from the Word: “In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing.No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend.” (Isaiah 55:11 NET Bible)

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