How to Live a Quite Life {1 Thessalonians 4}

8:00 AM




How do you lead a quiet life and mind your own business when you are a Christian?  Aren’t Christians supposed to proclaim the gospel?  What does that look like?

Paul tells us through his letter to the Thessalonians to “make it your ambition…”  The verb form Paul uses, (philotimeomai) means to be zealous and strive eagerly, to even consider it an honor.  When he says, “and lead a quiet life” (hesuchazo) it means to be silent, not speaking out inappropriately, remaining at rest and tranquil.

“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.  I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” 1 Timothy 2:11-12

Paul is teaching us that we are to remain at rest and tranquil.  As believers, we are to lead peaceful lives, free on conflict and hostility towards others as we anticipate the Lord’s return.  This is a wonderful witness to the transforming power of the gospel.

There was a warning, common in Greek writings, to “attend to your own business”, and Paul uses it here in the New Testament.  I think Paul was telling us to concentrate on our own lives, take care of our own jobs, and not meddle in the matters of others.

Next week, we’ll see Paul follow-up this warning in 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12; “For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.  Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.”  Those who did not attend to their own business were “acting like busybodies” (periergazomai – wasting their labor), running around meddling in everyone’s problems.

What does Paul teach us for such unwise and undisciplined behavior?  To work diligently and faithfully at their jobs, stay out of other people’s business, and lead quiet, unobtrusive lives that serve fellow believers and glorify the Lord before unbelievers.

The underlying purpose for Paul’s warnings was to motivate everyone to love, to live quietly, and to mind their own business.  And guess what?  This was evangelistic!  This way of living would show outsiders how to properly behave.  Paul’s key to evangelism was the integrity Christians express to a sinful, confused and agitated world.  When believers display diligent work attitudes and habits and live in a loving and tranquil manner, that respects others’ privacy and does not intrude or gossip, it constitutes a powerful testimony to unbelievers and makes the gospel credible.

But what does this look like?  We are called to love and interact with others.  But is it possible to be too involved in other people’s lives?  Some people seem to think they have the spiritual gift of fixing what is wrong in everybody and bringing to light everyone’s faults.  They get too far involved in areas of people’s lives where they have no business and cause much more harm than they do good. 

Paul’s life as a tent maker, reminds us that another aspect of the quiet life, is that we are to “work with our own hands.”  There truly is something beautiful about a person quietly going about their work earning the money they need to live in this world.  And perhaps you aren’t making a living by opening your mouth proclaiming God; I believe God greatly values honest work, regardless of how menial or secular it may appear.  Don’t forget Paul’s command in 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12, that busybodies, making a nuisance of themselves, need to work quietly and eat their own bread.



Blessings,
Lisa

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