1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Rebecca Lightfoot
After Paul’s turnaround in his life from a life of religious piety to a life honoring Christ’s Mercy & Grace,he had a turnaround in his heart/mind/life FROM a perspective of having many reasons to “feel like” his life was better than others and that there were many reasons for others to honor him because of his knowledge,financial security,position, and heritage.Before his turnaround,Paul used his life and his words in pious ways,making every effort to condemn those “less pious” than himself and those that were a “part of his pious church”.Afterwards,Paul’s “opinion” of Himself and others “turned inside-out”!His life and words became UNpious as he realized more and more of his personal dependence on Christ...,Paul became a humble “representative” for Christ...a humble witness for Christ and what only Jesus is able to do for people.Paul’s humbled life became a living witness of what absolute dependence on Jesus would do in and through a person->the TRUE confidence,TRUE peace,& ENDURING joy that only a life FULLY dependent on Jesus can EXPECT.In 1Thessalonians4:11-12, it says,”Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and 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.”These verses are encouraging us to have lives that “live inside-out”...to be diligent about the ways that we first take care of our personal “condition” and how we grow our personal relationship with Jesus,and then our “daily life” will become a positive influence on those around us because of the ways we live/talk/act/love/walk as we become more and more like Jesus in the ways we live/talk/act/love/walk.Being humbled as Paul was is the key to a life like this!Any amount of pride and/or arrogance will definitely be an impedance to our lives becoming what these verses are calling us to become.Dear Jesus,these verses open my eyes to realize how many pious thoughts/words/actions/expressions I have had in my life and continue to have!Forgive me!And open my eyes to my own/personal dependence on Your Mercy&Grace,so that I am constantly undergoing an inside-out change in my thoughts/words/action/expressions as I live/talk/act/love/walk through every day.