1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 - Quiet yet Brilliant

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "Make it your aim to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to earn your own living, just as we told you before. In this way you will win the respect of those who are not believers, and you will not have to depend on anyone for what you need." (TEV)

I have come across people in my life who have immediately caught my attention........not because they were there front and center....but because they were in the background.........doing what they had before them to do..........but doing it with a countenance that commanded my attention.

If I pressed further, I pretty consistently found out that these people were grounded in a faith in Jesus..........a faith that was at the forefront of everything they did.

I've written before that one of my objectives as I walk along the path of life with my Lord is that I make it a point to let Him become so centered in my life..............so consuming........that when people look at me..........they, instead, see Him. I know it can be done because I see it in these people.

They live a quiet life.........pretty much stay to themselves as they go about the Lord's work..............or make their living. And as the scripture says above they "win the respect of those who are not believers" by living their lives this way.

I wish I was further along the path of achieving my objective than I am, but with the Lord's continued guidance through His Word.....and my communication with Him in prayer........I am getting closer.

At this time of year I often reflect on how the Lord came to live among us...........as a ordinary child in a stable in Bethlehem. The King of kings.............Lord of lords............who has at His Command legions of angels..........didn't come in glory, but in humility.....living the humble life of a carpenter's son.....teaching us His Ways so that we could claim our Inheritance.

The Lord's entire life among us, I believe, was to be a template for us of how we should live ours...........not in the limelight......but with the utmost humility.......respect.........caring..........for those who may cross our paths.....for those we must lead to Him.

He came to lead us to a Kingdom that is not of this world..............and its dimensions are far beyond what we can comprehend.......so we must lead as He leads. We must become beacons whose quiet yet brilliant light pierces the darkness of this world and leads others to the Source of the light.............an eternity with Him.

That is our only mission on this earth.

Love in Jesus,

Jim

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"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on December 26, 2003 in post #438. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added April 17, 2006

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