Busybodies

"We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies." 2 Thessalonians 3:11

I cannot believe there is a 2,000 year old translation for a term that describes busybodies. Although as I read through the Bible, there have been plenty of them from the beginning of time. I am sorry to admit that the local church has become somewhat of a safe haven for busybodies. Okay, let's all agree what the main practices of busybodies are. 1.) They are nosy, sometimes under the guise of wanting to be well informed so as to be able to pray accurately. 2.) They are gossips, after all, when you have accurate information and are quickly done praying about it, shouldn't everybody know? Especially adding their own spin on what is really going on. 3.) They are not spending their time doing what they should be doing. Hence the idea that if they were not idle and were busy they would not be busybodies.

Idleness leads to trouble. It is true for idle hands, it is true for idle minds and it is particularly true for idle mouths. I think in general, the less said the better. For some folks that just won't work. Have you ever had someone in your life that just won't let go of you until you tell them something that they really don't need to know? I remember the advertising line of the notorious gossip paper called The National Enquirer which said, "Inquiring minds want to know". Not exactly totally accurate. Nosy people want to know, gossips want to know, idle people want to know. Why? Because, somehow it works for them. Somehow if somebody else has issues that deserve discussion, then their own issues fade or can be overlooked. Somehow if they know and can spread stuff, then they feel better about their own pitiful selves. Somehow if it takes so much time and energy to deal with everybody else's business, then there just isn't enough time to do what they should really be doing. Busybodiness is a neurosis. Seriously, there are people who just can't get enough of stuff they need not know anything about.

I have advice for such people.This may sound harsh because most busybodies really believe they genuinely care to a degree about all their nosiness, gossip and curiosity. 1. Get a life (preferably your own) 2. Don't gossip, period. 3. Find something truly helpful to do 4. Ask God honestly to help you if you struggle with minding your own business 5. Get counsel about what your inner motives might be 6. Seek God's Word about these matters 7. Always pray before you speak 8. Ask that question.... "What would Jesus do?" God's work that is called His Body, the Church needs to promote healthiness in relationships. This is obviously not a new problem. Let us take the advice of the early church. In the very next verse it says "Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down, and earn the bread they eat." Gotta love the Bible, it is so real. Let's settle down, okay?

In Him,
Pastor Fred

P.S. This devotional is not based on any real or particular people or events that may or may not be happening at this time, in case any busybodies are tempted or curious.

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