...to live a quiet life. This Scripture popped into my head the other day, and of course it didn't make any sense to me.
How can "ambition" and "quiet life" be in the same sentance? Don't they seem to be a contradiction in terms? To me they do. When I hear the word Ambition, I think of Donald Trump. When I hear the words Quiet Life, I think of an Amish woman making a quilt. How can these things come together? And could they ever (ever!) come together in my life?
Make it your ambition to live a quiet life. 1 Thessalonias 4:11
Many of us hear that line and think, "I'm getting to it! Just as soon as I raise the kids, beef my 401K back up, pay off the mortgage and buy that little boat, then it'll be my ambition to live a quiet life." But the Thessalonians passage is not talking to retirees. It's talking to us. Today.
Make it your ambition to live a quiet life. The King James Version is often closer to the original language, and that translation says "Study to be quiet." (This strikes terror in the heart of the one voted Most Talkative Class of 1983!) What does it mean to "study to be quiet?"
Study is the Greek word which means to be eager or earnest to do something, to strive.
Quiet, in the original Greek, means to keep still, refrain from labor, meddlesomeness or speech: - cease, hold peace, be quiet, rest.
Yes, be eager to be still. Stop gossiping. Stop complaining. Stop meddling in other's affairs. Hold your tongue, keep the peace, find rest for your soul. Make it a goal. Perhaps a New Year's Resolution of sorts?
Minister Matthew Henry (1662-1714), describes it this way:
It is the most desirable thing to have a calm and quiet temper, and to be of a peaceable and quiet behaviour. This tends much to our own and others' happiness; and Christians should study how to be quiet. We should be ambitious and industrious how to be calm and quiet in our minds, in patience to possess our own souls, and to be quiet towards others; or of a meek and mild, a gentle and peaceable disposition, not given to strife, contention, or division.
Satan is very busy to disquiet us; and we have that in our own hearts that disposes us to be disquiet; therefore let us study to be quiet.
Quiet your mind. It's very true that we have an enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy everything we hold dear. (Even, and including, our peace and quiet.) Then our own heart gets us all jazzed up. We want many things and our eager ambition steals our quiet. Maybe it's another promotion, another degree, a bigger house? Or simply we want to be appreciated for having brought the best dish to the potluck, having the cutest kids at the preschool, and the best hair in the neighborhood.
Busyness is the enemy of the quiet life. What could you cross off your schedule? Can you start out small and carve out a pocket for peace and quiet in your life? Perhaps start with one day of Sabbath rest a week. Don't do a single thing, simply BE, for one day a week.
Study to be still. In doing so, you'll both hear and glorify the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
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.
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1 comment:
I have read that verse before, but it has been a while. I thought your blog was very inspiring and convicting all at the same time. I agree with you, "a quiet life" does not make any sense when it comes to ambition. Although, for a mom with two small children, I crave a quiet life. : )
I enjoy getting up before the kids wake up and having some much needed quiet time. I don't always get it everyday. So, I cherish those moments when I do.
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