A little while ago, I produced a verse by verse series in Philippians. I really enjoyed that exercise and have been wondering if I should take on another book. Well it turns out that 1 Thessalonians is the victim of my machinations, and hopefully, the thoughts produced by this fantastic book will edify and encourage the reader.

As with Philippians I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

I admit it. I am not a showy evangelist, one who can enter a room and start preaching the gospel, sharing my faith easily and with abandon. I struggle with that image in my mind, and my nature is one of some reservation.

I have spent years seeking to find ways to share the gospel, from door knocking, asking surveys, and handing out tracts. None of it seemed natural, and though I take the command to evangelize seriously, it is definitely not my gift.

That is where a verse like todays provides some comfort for an ol’ fool like me.

Three commands encourage me. Let me work it out for us.

aspire to live quietly

I am a relatively quiet man, (except when my grandbabies are around!) When Paul speaks of aspiring, it has the intent of ambition in this term. As believers, we can be ambitious to be quiet, which seems to be a contradiction in terms in our modern society. We are often told to be ambitious, do things is a big way, to “show off” and enter the competition of life.

Paul seems to think otherwise. Be ambitious to lead a quiet, godly life before the Lord. Seek the quiet, rest in the silence, exhibit a calmness that is the fruit of being before Him quietly.

There are times when I fear our modern faith is dependent on entertainment, action, activity and commotion. Granted, much of this is the impact of our modern society, with a constant barrage of news, movies, videos, television and internet bombarding our eyes, yet Paul speaks of a quiet life.

A quiet life, where our hearts and minds are at rest, and our lives exhibit this truth. Even when I git ’round those grandbabies!

mind your own affairs

Some may tell the evangelist, of which I am not, to mind your own business. This is the throwing of a Biblical command into the face of a believer who is following after the Lord. What a diversion the enemy has in this!

To mind our own affairs is not addressing those who are gifted in the work of winning souls, but in the gossippy lifestyle of those who always are correcting others while they ignore their own issues.

You know the type. Those who interfere in other’s lives unnecessarily, judge others constantly, or spread stories (known as gossip) to those who have no power to remedy any situation.

We all have fallen victim to this type of “busybody”, but that is the course of life we live. The issue is that Paul is telling believers to be concerned with our own lives before the Lord, and not to dwell on other’s apparent failings.

We have enough to deal with. Focus on our lives before the Lord, and let our brother or sister do the same. Getting involved unnecessarily may only distract from an issue in our own life.

I say unnecessarily due to the teaching that is throughout the Word regarding the “one another” lives we are to live. We are to love one another, encourage one another, exhort one another. All of these commands beckon us to be involved with our brothers, and as life rears it’s head in areas of weakness, we are to humbly visit with our brother or sister, knowing we are prone to falling, and offer assistance.

Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

We need the wisdom of the Lord, and a humbleness that is not of our own heart.

Nevertheless, for Paul to tell the Thessalonians to work with their own hands, might have rubbed them a bit the wrong way, for it was common thinking in their day (and ours) that to avoid manual labor is a sign of success.

To sit behind a desk and to bark orders to underlings is considered by many to be the goal, to signify success, and to show worth of person.

Paul says to work with our hands. Manual labor. Consider our Savior. A carpenter. The apostles, many of which were mere fishermen. And the one writing to the Thessalonians? A tent maker.

It seems God is not offended by His people working manual labor. If I read Paul right, God may prefer manual labor to be an important part of the believers life.

One thing I do know. There is a certain satisfaction in working with my hands. And one thing that occurs to me is that when I am working with my hands, my interfering, gossipy mouth seems to be less active.

Amazing!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.