If you’ve ever bought a house, you know you’re probably going to sell it someday. You might live there two years, ten years, or twenty—but at some point, you’ll move on. And yet, while you live there, you still mow the lawn, fix the roof, and make it a home. You don’t just sit idle because something better is coming.
That’s the picture Pastor Josh White painted from 1 Thessalonians 4:9–12 on June 23, 2024. The Thessalonian believers were so excited about Christ’s return that some stopped working entirely, expecting Him to come any minute. Paul writes to correct that—and to remind them (and us) that while we wait for the next big event, God has work for us to do right now.
Love the Brotherhood
Paul starts with brotherly love—literally, the love believers have for one another. The Thessalonians were already doing this well, pouring out the love God had given them onto fellow Christians throughout Macedonia. But Paul says: do this more and more.
“A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
— John 13:34–35
Josh pointed out something convicting: of all the things we pour ourselves into—careers, hobbies, homes—only our relationships with other believers carry into eternity. The love we show each other in this life will extend into the next. There is no ceiling on this calling. We are to stretch ourselves to the outer limits of love for one another.
Live Quietly — Be a Peacemaker
Next, Paul tells the Thessalonians to “aspire to live quietly.” The Greek word doesn’t mean being silent—it means being a peacemaker. Holding your peace. Living at peace with others instead of constantly agitating, arguing, and stirring up conflict.
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
— Romans 12:18
Josh noted we live in a world that excels at aggravating one another. Social media makes it easy to pile on, argue, and vent. But followers of Christ are supposed to be the initiators and sustainers of peace. When others see us calm, stable, and unshakeable in difficult situations, it points them to the Prince of Peace Himself.
Mind Your Own Business
Paul then tells them to “mind your own affairs.” Not the affairs of everyone else. The Greek word for “busybody” here is used only once in the entire New Testament—a person who busies themselves with useless, trifling matters, sticking their nose into concerns that aren’t theirs, usually with the goal of stirring things up rather than building peace.
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. … Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
— Ephesians 4:29, 32
This is the opposite of gossip, slander, and division. Someone serious about sanctification looks for ways to encourage and build others up, not tear them down. Satan loves it when believers busy themselves with drama instead of their own responsibilities.
Have an Excellent Work Ethic
Finally, Paul tells them to work with their hands. Some in Thessalonica had stopped being productive because they were so focused on Christ’s return. Paul’s correction is firm: be devoted to your responsibilities—whether that’s a job, being a stay-at-home parent, a student, or a retiree. Whatever you do, do it for the Lord.
“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
— Colossians 3:17
This isn’t about having a job—it’s about having an excellent work ethic in every area of life. Being responsible. Not being dependent on others to cover what we’re called to carry. Why does this matter for evangelism? Because a good work ethic is the foundation on which the gospel stands. When the world sees believers being responsible, peaceful, and built up in love, it creates space for the message of Christ to be heard.
So What?
Jesus is coming back. We don’t know when—maybe today, maybe in a hundred years. And while we wait, God hasn’t called us to sit idle. He’s called us to love earnestly, live at peace, tend our own responsibilities, and work with excellence in whatever He’s given us. These aren’t just good habits—they’re the way the world sees Jesus.
Four questions to ask yourself this week:
- Am I allowing God’s love to overflow into others, or am I keeping it to myself?
- Am I a peacemaker, or am I quick to agitate and argue?
- Am I minding my own business, or am I too busybody about things that aren’t mine to carry?
- Am I being faithful with the responsibilities God’s given me?
We don’t know what tomorrow holds. But we know Who holds tomorrow. And these four practices—love, peace, responsibility, and excellence—are how we shine as lights while we wait.
Scripture References
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9–12 — Living faithfully while we wait
- John 13:34–35 — The mark of discipleship is love
- Romans 12:18 — Live peaceably with all
- Ephesians 4:29, 32 — Build up, don’t tear down
- Colossians 3:17 — Do everything in the name of the Lord