Live a quiet life? Well, how fun is that?

Paul encourages believers to love others, more and more, and then he tells them to live a quiet life (1Thess 4:11).

The truth is, many of us are addicted to excitement and praise.

We prefer the big events, the roar of the crowd, the fireworks, the exciting news, the spotlight… and we may be raising our children to long for the same, whether we mean to or not.

We constantly entertain our kids and continually try to make each vacation and youth event bigger, and better, than the last.

But, quietness? Stillness? Those aren’t exciting words. And CoVid has helped many of us realize how uncomfortable we are with them.

And if “quiet” means going unnoticed, we aren’t really promoting that, either, as we line up our kid’s trophies and heap praise upon every success. Whether we mean to or not we are teaching them to long for the limelight…. that won’t satisfy them or us either.

And what about serving those who can give us nothing in return? Do we bring that up? Do we model that?

Are we teaching our kids and grandkids to be okay to stand alone, without praise, and even be criticized by the world?

Deep down, do we really want THAT for ourselves and for our kids?

Paul’s precious instruction to us in his letter to the Thessalonians, and these lyrics from a song a few years back, called “Only Jesus”, by Casting Crowns, truly struck me.

Read the words. Resist the urge to think about others in our world. Instead, think about yourself and how you spend your time. Think about your goals for yourself and your families . Think about what thrills your heart. Is it Jesus? Only Jesus?

“ Make it count, leave a mark, build a name for yourself
Dream your dreams, chase your heart, above all else
Make a name the world remembers
But all an empty world can sell is empty dreams
I got lost in the light when it was up to me
To make a name the world remembers
But Jesus is the only name to remember
And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy
I don’t care if they remember me
Only Jesus
And I, I’ve only got one life to live
I’ll let every second point to Him
Only Jesus
All the kingdoms built, all the trophies won
Will crumble into dust when it’s said and done
‘Cause all that really mattered
Did I live the truth to the ones I love?
Was my life the proof that there is only One
Whose name will last forever?
And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy
I don’t care if they remember me
Only Jesus
And I, I’ve only got one life to live
I’ll let every second point to Him
Only Jesus
Jesus is the only name
Jesus is the only name
Jesus is the only name to remember, oh
Jesus is the only name
Jesus is the only name
Jesus is the only name to remember
And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy
I don’t care if they remember me
Only Jesus
And I, I’ve only got one life to live
I’ll let every second point to Him
Only Jesus
I don’t want to leave a legacy
I don’t care if they remember me
Only Jesus”

Oh Lord, be our desire above all. May we live for your glory! No other Name can save! May there be more of You and less of me (John 3:30).

And the words of our Lord— “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.(Matt 16:24-27)

Oh friend, the life the world does not notice, and even ridicules, is often the one noticed by our Lord. May we live for Him. May the praise we long to hear be, “Well done my good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21)

(And PS, please test everything I may ever write by God’s Word. Read the Scriptures. His words alone are the perfect ones.)

readthessalonians

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