The Surface and the Heart

1 Chronicles 25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 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, ¹²so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

While Paul was going from city to city to spread the gospel, his life was crazy. He was constantly in jail or his life was always threatened. He didn't want the people he was ministering to to go through the same. Paul knew that he was chosen for that work for a reason, because God knew he could handle it. God knew the strength inside Paul and whatever Paul went through, he would keep his heart and eyes set on God. However, the people Paul ministered to, were not as strong as he was. They were baby Christians and barely knew the things of God. Therefore, he wanted them to stay out of trouble, yet not stay quiet about what they had learned about God.

Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to live a dramatic life. It doesn't mean you have to be like Paul or any other grand evangelist. It just means you have to be you. However God created you, that's how He wants you to be. God wants us to live a good life but with the possibility of bad times crossing our paths.

Paul said "lead a quiet life and mind your own business" which means be kind to everyone, don't get involved in stupid drama. Do what God has called you to do and keep your focus on that

"work with your hands just as we told you" means be a hard worker, show others that your not a lazy person.


"your daily life will win the respect of outsiders" means what you do in your daily life should be an example for those who just see your surface. Paul wanted our surface to be so good that when people get to see who we are on the inside - they wouldn't see a difference.

"not dependent on anyone" means our dependency is on God and not on material things. God doesn't want us looking at others and what they have and asking others for favors or for money. God wants us to directly look at Him, ask Him, confide in Him.

Lord,
Thank you for your powerful word that you have. Thank you that you gave such simple yet powerful wisdom to Paul so that even today thousands of years later I can still use it. Help me to depend solely on you and your word everyday of my life. Forgive me of my selfishness and blindness to the things of the world, and cleanse my surface to look like my heart.
I forever love you always
Amen