BIBLE BITES
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Busybodies and Butterflies
Some say they’re on overload with the business of others. It seems that few details of the lives of many are spared from public consumption. Kissing a spouse, going shopping, having a blood test, seeing a racoon or testing a new tooth paste – and many other activities of daily living now seem like fodder for public consumption. Perhaps the days of minding our own business are over.
There’s a fine line between being interested in the lives of others and being downright nosy. The dark propensity to be nosy has been around for a long time. The Apostle Paul cautioned against it. Just because this generation is becoming very transparent with personal information, does not give me the right to be a nosy Christian on Facebook or anywhere else. Even if our wicked flesh enjoys it and technology facilitates it, snooping, prying, nosy Christian busybodies are frowned upon by the Scriptures.
Evelyn said to Edith: “Margaret said that Lilly’s parents wanted her to break up with Herbert your brother because he is a workaholic and is stingy with his money. I was shocked to hear her say that but I’m just telling you what I heard. Do you think there’s any truth to it” Even if Margaret said that, it gave Evelyn no right to repeat her words. It’s no wonder people say Evelyn is a nosy busybody. Evelyn wonders why people keep her at arm’s length!
Paul not only wrote about busybodies – he wrote about butterflies. Social butterflies are people who thrive on social interactions and derive energy from being with groups of people. They are extroverted and thoroughly enjoy being ‘on the go’ with people. “If only there were more hours in a day and days in a week to get out of the house to be socializing with others!” Flitting from one social scene to another. Paul seems to have a word for these personalities as well.
“…aspire to live quietly,
and to mind your own affairs…
as we instructed you,
(1Thessalonians 4:11)
Some of the Christians in Thessalonica were restless. They were unsettled and confused about the return of the Lord and the death of their loved ones. Paul writes to give them the truth and to advise them to be ambitious to live a quiet, focused life for the Lord, maturely assuming spiritual responsibilities and attending to their own spiritual and family needs – not nosing into the lives of others.
There are some who can’t settle to privately and quietly sit alone to enjoy the Lord and to study the Scriptures. They find it hard to even focus on the needs under their own roof. They want to be ‘on the tear’ constantly and if they’re not, Christian living is boring. While their own family suffers or their own home crumbles – they’re busy flitting here and there.
Christian living does involve activity and work – but an absolute must in my life is a spirit of quietness. Paul said: “Ambitiously work at being quiet.” A high-energy extrovert may naturally want to be ‘running’ all the time – every evening and every weekend – even running for the Lord. But we are to ‘strive eagerly’ to be quiet and to have a tranquility of mind. It is the opposite of being restless. You can be busy for the Lord and not be restless.
“Lord, if I have social butterfly tendencies that are hindering me and others and if I’m a bit of a busybody, I confess my sin and my failure today. Help me to mind my own business and to be more aware of these issues in my life. I confess my restlessness and nosiness. Help me to walk in the Spirit today.”
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today,
Peter Ramsay
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