Mind Your Own Business
Aug 5 2024 - Eric Buresh
A Bible-reading approach that has been fruitful for my spiritual growth is one that I call the “that doesn’t sound right” strategy. I’ll take a chunk of Scripture, sometimes a chapter, sometimes several chapters, and as I read along, I simply wait for my mind/heart to spout out, “that doesn’t sound right.” Then, I stop reading and look back over the words that caused my reaction. Sometimes, I just didn’t understand the words and so I study them more. Sometimes, however, when I encounter a “that doesn’t sound right” moment, it’s because my heart doesn’t like the words I just read or doesn’t agree with them. In that case, there is a deeper work to do with the Holy Spirit. It’s now time to examine my heart, understand why I’m inclined to disagree with the Word, and repent with confession. That, for me, is a very typical way that the Holy Spirit wields the Word to open my eyes to some lie I’ve let into my heart.
As a recent example, I was reading through 1 Thessalonians. As I was reading along, I hit 4:11-12 (ESV): “aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” My mind/heart screeched like nails on a chalkboard, “that doesn’t sound right.” As I examined the passage closer and asked the Holy Spirit to open my spiritual eyes and reveal my heart’s attitude, I saw several ways that my attitudes had started to conform to the world in some respects. I saw a desire to be more aggressive than I should; a desire to press opinions into conflicts that weren’t really my business; a desire to make things happen quickly on my timetable. The Holy Spirit was wielding these verses and cutting at areas of my remaining flesh. I started jotting down notes:
To conform to Christ, we must “aspire to live quietly." Our world is characterized by noise and tumult, where the loudest voices dominate, but we are called to a different way of life. To live quietly is to cultivate an inner peace and contentment that is not easily shaken by the storms around us. It is to reflect the tranquility of Christ, who amid great chaos and clamor, often withdrew to solitary places to pray and commune with the Father. Living quietly does not mean living in isolation or indifference to the world around us. Rather, it is a disposition of heart that is at rest in God's sovereign care. It is a life marked by serenity and stability, a testament to the peace that surpasses all understanding.
To conform to Christ, we must “mind our own affairs.” The world virtually demands that we meddle in the lives of others, driven by an on-line culture of gossip and loud opinions about virtually everything under the sun. In contrast, we should focus on our own responsibilities. This is a call to diligence in attending to the duties God has assigned to each of us. We are not responsible for many things we spend much of our time worrying about. We are stewards of the lives and responsibilities God has given us, and we are to stay focused on faithful service in those areas.
To conform to Christ, we must “work with our hands.” This is a call to industriousness and honest labor. There is a dignity in steady, hard work that is often overlooked in a society that constantly encourages us to seek after fast and easy money. Paul, a tentmaker by trade, understood well the value of hard work. By engaging in honest, steady labor, we reflect the image of our Creator, who worked in the act of creation and continues to steadily work in the providence of His creation. His labor is not fast or easy – He patiently works His plans over the generations.
When we conform to Christ and show ourselves different from the world, Paul tells us that we “walk properly before outsiders.” Our conduct as Christians is a testimony to the world. By living quietly, minding our own affairs, and working diligently, we demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel. We show that our faith produces not only spiritual fruit but also practical, everyday integrity. We become living epistles, read by all men, showcasing the fruit that the Holy Spirit cultivates within us.