I Thessalonians 4:11
…study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands…
I read this during my quiet time this morning, then had to read it again, read three other versions, and think about it. This is the King James version, which I prefer. Some of the other versions say “mind” your own business, which I think in our current time suggests a different meaning.
At first glance this seems like a simple command, but studied more closely it has profound implications. Doesn’t that apply to most of the Bible? I’m certainly not the first to realize that or to ponder the deeper meaning of this verse.
First of all that word “study” implies intention and planning. Another version says “aspire to” and one says “make it your ambition to”. So if I’m going to lead a quiet life, which I interpret as peaceful, then I have to be aware of that goal, figure out what I need to do to accomplish it, and make those actions part of my daily life. That takes prayer, contemplation, study of the Bible, and daily effort. And if I’m busy doing all that, I won’t have much time left for negative actions.
The same applies to taking care of my own business. I don’t interpret that as a command to be isolated from others or to “mind your own business” in the sense that some of my friends and family members have suggested. According to other instructions in the Bible “my business” is to be responsible for my own needs, spread the Gospel, and care for others. There are specific commands for each of those. And again, if we are busy doing all that…there won’t be much time and energy available to engage in negative actions.
“Work with your own hands.” I spend a lot of time inside my head…thinking, reading, writing, but my times of greatest joy and peace are usually the times when I’m outside doing something with my hands. Our hands and minds and hearts are connected in ways that we don’t always appreciate.
God has shared what we need to find peace and lead a productive life. Now we just need to devote some time to following His instructions.
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