1Thess 4:11 says, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” Study - from a love of honor, to strive to bring something to pass. Quiet - keep still, to rest, to hold your peace, to lead a quiet life, said of those who are not running hither and thither, but stay at home and mind their business. Do your own business - repeatedly or habitually perform your own private and separate affairs. Work - do your trade, toil, and labor. The apostle Paul sums up this verse in saying that it is commanded.
What is the theme of this verse? Self reliance. Not depending on others to do for you, what you can do for yourself. Not to be a moocher, or have an entitlement mentality; but to work hard, be quiet, and mind your own business. The Christian might at first be put off by the term self reliant, because it seems to deny our dependence on God. However, I do not think that is the proper view of self reliance.
Self reliance is not an unchristian idea at all. Self reliance speaks of cultivating in ourselves our God-given gifts, talents, and power in effort to fulfill - to the best of our ability -what God has called us to do. Self reliance is not a rejection of the idea that we must ultimately rely on God, and that without Him we are nothing and can do nothing; Rather, it is a rejecting of the idea that God will do for us, what He has enabled and gifted us to do for ourselves.
Self reliance is a Godly attribute, while self conceit is a worldly one. The self reliant man is humble and acknowledges his place under God's authority, while the self conceited man is prideful and seeks his own glory. The self reliant man says, “By God’s grace, ability, and resources; I will do such and such.” Paul said he sought not to build on another man's foundation, but to go where Christ had not been preached. He was a leader, a pioneer, a trail-blazer. King David was the same. He went out by himself and slew the giant. He didn’t wait around for someone else to do it for him. Joseph prospered as a slave and a prisoner - and eventually as second in command of the most powerful nation in the world at that time.
Work is good. It gives us purpose and a sense of accomplishment. The first thing God gave man after He made him was a job (Gen 2:15). If you don’t like your job, find one you do like. In the meantime, do your present job as if you were doing it for Jesus Himself - because essentially you are (Col 3:22-24). Do not curse your work! Bless it, and see what God does in your life. Work makes a man self reliant, and not dependent on someone else. We want to be oaks - not vines. Oaks are self reliant. They put down deep roots; they weather the storms; they can support others. Vines have shallow roots, and can’t support themselves; so they constantly lean on and crawl all over oaks to support them. Sometimes we need some help - and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. However, we should not want to constantly live as vines, but to be self reliant oaks. This comes from hard work, sacrifice, and discipline.
We are to work with quietness (not complaining) and eat our own bread (2Thess 3:12). We are to be doing (working) when the Lord comes (12:42-43). We are not to be slothful in business, but rather passionate in spirit - serving The Lord (Rom 12:11). We must understand that we ultimately work for Jesus.
Pleasure, leisure, recreation, entertainment - these are not the ultimate end. The reason for them is to refresh and recharge, so that you can now go back to being productive. It seems the goal has become, for many, to reach the place where you no longer have to work, and can be entertained 24-7. Guess what? That’s what happened to Rome - and the Roman Empire fell apart. Slaves did all the work, so the Romans perpetually partied; and one historian says the men became more feminine than the women. Kind of sounds like today, don’t you think?
Self reliance comes with a cost, but it also comes with a great blessing. Many times we like to relieve ourselves of any responsibility of being self reliant, and say those who are “got lucky” or “were born with a silver spoon in their mouth”. That is sometimes the case, but not often. It is usually just hard work. Let’s listen to former slave Frederick Douglass "I do not think much of the good luck theory of self made men... It divorces a man from his own achievements, contemplates him as being of chance and leaves him without will, motive, ambition, and aspiration. Yet the accident theory is among the most popular theories of individual success." Seems there is nothing new under the sun.
Pro 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labor shall increase. Pro 14:23 In all labor there is profit: but the talk of the lips tends only to poverty. Pro 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. In labor there is profit and increase. In diligence there is promotion. Laziness, talk with no action, and a lottery get-rich-quick mentality will keep you from success. It will keep you from fulfilling your God-given destiny. It will keep you from self reliance.
As Jesus did, spend time in solitude. Commune with God. Read, study, write, meditate. Exercise your spirit, your mind, and your body. Educate yourself, use your time wisely, & stop following the herd. Like King David, Paul, & Jesus - be a pioneer, a trail-blazer. Come out from among them, and be separate. Success is not about winning a popularity contest or dollar signs. You can be successful, and have little of either. Success is being self reliant. It is being your own man. It is being an oak. It is hard work, sacrifice, discipline, honor. It is doing what is right because it’s right. It is standing, even if you stand alone. It’s being a Godly father, husband, brother, friend, & businessman. It’s hating evil and loving good. Essentially, it’s being like Jesus. By His grace, I pray you and I would strive to be like Him.
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