I have been fascinated by 1Thessalonians 4:11-12 instructing us to "aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one" from the first time I read it to this very day. Doesn't that sound nice? For believers in Christ to love one another and just calm down a little - living quietly and depending on no one else. Doesn't that seem logical? That this kind of faith would be appealing to the outside world.
There are times I look at this world and have the same reaction Christ did in Matthew 9:36, "when He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." I mean really, look at the news, your social media and try not being moved for the culture and the helpless, harassed people longing for a clarion voice to lead them like a shepherd. Wouldn't a quiet life, and simple faith, compel them to the truth of our message? Wouldn't less arguing and more minding our business say something they're looking for?
I'm not saying we should be silent on moral issues, or not be active in stemming the tide of evil in our world. I'm saying pick your battles, and to most of you I'm saying pick fewer battles. Put some of that down. You look like Edward Scissorhands with all those swords you're trying to wield. The need to be right or to be heard can often be interpreted as just being a know-it-all and arrogant. Eventually people become deaf to us. The tragedy of that is we lose the opportunity to share the better message of "Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
As fascinated as I've been by this passage, I will confess I still struggle with it. Yes, I can retreat with the best of them, but before I know it my pace is unmanageable again and I'm relying on my friends Ben & Jerry or the Colonel to take care of things, I ought to have time to manage myself (if you know what I mean.)
So imagine my relief when God brought me to a Psalm last week that outlines a virtual how-to for developing a quiet life, a calmer faith, and a gentle, peaceful expression of my trust in and love for God. Psalm 131 is all of three verses long, but WOW is it helping me calm down. In a stressful life, amidst a world that is chaotic and combative, it's helping me be more 1Thessalonions 4:11-12 in a Matthew 9:36 world.
Wanna go with me as we break it down?
First of all, the title of the song is "I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul." What I love about this is that it implies that doing so is fully within our power. It's no miracle or intervention. It's no lofty notion that only people of a certain class or station in life can attain. It's possible to take your soul in hand and boss it around. David modeled this in other psalms where he spoke to his soul and told it what to do -
- "O my soul, wait in silence" (Psalm 62:5)
- "bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!" (Psalm 103:1)
- "bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (Psalm 103:2)
- "bless the Lord, O my soul!" (Psalm 103:22, 104:1; 104:35)
- "return, O my soul, to your rest." (Psalm 116:7)
- "praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!" (Psalm 146:1)
Secondly, this is also a Psalm of Ascent. This is what every practicing Jew would sing on their way to Jerusalem for holy days. This was a congregational reminder as they were preparing their hearts to make sacrifices and complete their vows before the Lord. It was a reminder of their faith born out of the mighty hand and outstretched arm of the God of their forefathers. It's collective. It's the faith community calming and quieting their soul.
So how can we do this together? How do we remind ourselves to live in a quiet, peaceful manner for the sake of the Gospel? I think it starts with talking to ourselves. If I were writing a Psalm, it might start with "stop finishing arguments in your head, O my soul," or "keep scrolling and don't comment, O my soul". There may even be even a reminder to "determine not to know anything but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, O my soul."
What would you say to your soul today to help bring you and the community of faith all into a calm and quiet place? (drop it in the comments... we're all just singing our way to holier places.)