Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life.

Mind your own business.

Work with your hands.

Let your daily life win the respect of others.

-from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, 49 AD

I can’t tell you what a relief it is to hear this admonition directly from scripture – make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. Honestly it feels like this opposes everything you hear these days, but I find it incredibly encouraging, a permission slip to care for those around me without shouldering guilt for everything outside my area of influence.

Originally posted June 7, 2022