Devotion 9/11, A quiet life?
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Paul is instructing followers of Christ in these verses to;
Lead a quiet life: Don’t seek praise and attention from mankind, be content to be loved by Christ and to live in obedience to Him for we are prized by Him.
Mind your own business; God’s children should never be known as butting into other people’s affairs in life. We are not to be gossips, and we are not to judge people because we do not know their heart!
Work with your hands; God wants His children to be doing an honest days work. We are not to be lazy and idle in our time here on earth. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says if you don’t work, you don’t eat. Clearly some have physical problems and cannot work, but when one is able to work, we are instructed by God’s Word to do so. Laziness is not what God desires for us.
The reason we are told to do these things is so that our daily lives will be respected by the unsaved around us and so that we will not be dependent on anybody. As Children of God we are constantly being watched by the yet unsaved in our lives each day. Do they see a reflection of Christ when they observe us, or are we seemingly no different from non-believers? Can it be said of us that our lives are overflowing with love for others, with compassion and patience?
Father God, thank You for loving me and for sending Jesus to bleed and die on the cross for my sins. Help me to live my life in a pleasing way before You Father, and to show the love of Christ to all I interact with each day. I give You all praise, honor, and glory this day, Amen!
What’s your ambition? I don’t know about you, but I’m not so sure I could say my ambition is to “live a quiet life…” (I’m a bit of a loud person, sometimes.)
O precious and righteous Father, I need your help to slow down and tend to my responsibilities instead of running around out of control and without purpose. Please grant me the wisdom and patience to live a quiet life that graciously influences those around me toward you. In Jesus’ name, I ask it. Amen.
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