Personal Responsibility

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

Wow! Isn't this the freshest definition of ambition that you have seen in a long time? Ambition is usually defined as becoming famous, or the best, or better than everybody else, or getting ahead, or making money, or being influential, or impressing people with all your accomplishments. Be aggressive and assertive and get yourself out there in the public eye for everybody to approve of you! Not quite... I must make a list. This is too good not to illustrate the principle behind it.

Ambition = 1. Quiet Life (I am guessing minimum drama) 2. Mind your own business (this would limit gossip) 3. Work with your hands (be productively busy) 4. Do as we told you (Instead of everything else you hear) 5. Win respect (acting respectable will help) 6. Be independent (personally responsible, not entitled)

These admonitions from Paul are classic. Sounds like the sound advice I grew up with. Which is probably why I grew up. Great goals don't you think? We have so much to learn from this. Rather than try to elaborate or go off on some of my favorite subjects, I am being led of the Spirit to just repeat what the Word says. How are you doing with the quiet life, minding your own business, working with your hands, doing as you were told, winning respect and being independent? Enough said.

In His Service,
Pastor Fred

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