WISDOM FOR A QUIET LIFE

“That you also aspire to LEAD a QUIET LIFE, to mind your own business...” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11a

WISDOM for a QUIET LIFE is crucial to a God-pleasing Walk: “That you also aspire to LEAD a QUIET LIFE, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you” (1 The.4:11). While walking in sanctification and brotherly love, we’re also to aspire to live quietly, mind our own affairs, and be diligent, witnessing our faith to outsiders (vv. 1-4, 12). Quietness is not only about verbal restraint; it describes an attitude of calm, peace, and poise. In 1 Timothy 2: 1-2, Paul instructed Timothy to pray for all people, kings and leaders, and for “a QUIET and peaceable LIFE in all godliness and reverence.”

By Grace, we’re to actively pursue quiet, peaceful, tranquil lives, free of anxiety, agitation, tension, hostility and conflict toward others. If we allow it, the chronic crush of life’s challenges, perceived expectations, and societal demands, can fill our lives with endless activities, stress, and heart-turmoil. Many trials threaten to disrupt the peace of our lives; but by wisdom, we can lead quiet lives in a tumultuous, chaotic world.

The foundation for living peacefully in a sin-broken world is a saving relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have PEACE WITH GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom.5:1). In addition, we’re exhorted to “live quietly.” This begins from within: “Surely I have composed and QUITED my SOUL...” (Psa.131:2a). Quietness is of great value: “Better is a dry morsel with QUIETNESS than a house full of feasting with strife” (Pro.17:1); “Do not let your adornment be merely outward...let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and QUIET SPIRIT, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1Pet.3:3-4).

Minding our own business is crucial to pursuing the quiet life. So many things compete for our time and attention, relentlessly enticing us to “connect” and “follow” various causes and people. These include: the 24-hour news cycle, celebrities and politicians espousing worldly views on every nuance of life, and the constant barrage of social media updates, to share, tweet, and like; mostly idle curiosities and trivial matters designed to distract us. However, minding our own business does not mean going into isolation; we’re to minister in brotherly love (vv.9-10).

Working with our own hands – being involved in productive activity, in the workplace, at home, or in ministry – is a key to leading a quiet life. Paul addressed this again in 2 Thessalonians 3: 10-11: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.” Only a conscience informed by the Holy Spirit can truly apply these principles and instructions to the details of daily life, in pursuit of a peaceful and quiet life that is pleasing in the sight of God!