1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (New International Version)
11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Paul spent a short time with the Thessalonians but in his letter to them he shares so much about who God is and what a life in Him means. In 1 Thes. 4:11-12 he encourages them to lead a quiet life, mind their own business, and work with their hands. His reasoning is the in living this way we will earn the respect of others and be independent.
I agree with Paul's thinking but have a long way to go before my life can truly reflect this teaching. At times I focus too much on the approval of others and compromise my witness to win that approval. I am too quick to join in gossip and too quick to bring attention to my accomplishments. The things I say and the way I act show off my selfish sinful side and do not at all honor God. there are times I think God should take away my tongue for a season so I would have to show others by what I do and not just talk about what I've done. I need to focus more on what I can do today to please God and share Him with others and not focus on what I've done in the past. When I'm around others I need to make sure my conversations honor God and not me. I need to avoid gossip and not embrace it. gossip is harmful on many different levels. It hurts the person we are talking about. They are not even there to defend themselves. It hurts my credibility as a Christian. How can i clam to love God and talk like this about His people? By avoiding gossip and letting my actions speak for themselves, people can judge me for who I am and not compare me to the people I am so quick to talk about. I would rather earn someone's respect for who I am than how good I say I am. Hopefully they will see Christ in my actions and the way I live. In that way I can bring glory to God. By living this way I can rely on God and on others for my success and be able to give Him all the glory when I succeed, because true independence is the ability to rely completely on God alone and not others. That is the example I want to set for others.
Dear Lord,
I thank You for your provision in my life. There is nothing I need that You cannot provide. Help me to trust You and rely on You more than the people around me. Help me to live a quiet life free form gossip. Let that life be pleasing to You and an example to others. Let others see a difference in me that I can attribute to you. Let my actions speak louder than my words and let those actions testify to Your glory. Help me to rely on You alone for my success and my happiness. help me be content with what I have in You and give me opportunities to share all I am and all I have with the people you put in my path today. In Jesus' name.
Keep the SON in your eyes,
Ron
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