I mean, he gave this advice to the Thessalonians, so we would assume that he would not ask someone else to do what he was not willing to do himself, right? But do you think of Paul's life as quiet? I sure don't.
Paul stirred up passions and emotions, called upon people to be bold in their faith, and stood up to authorities everywhere he went. He was beaten, thrown in prison, and ultimately killed for not being quiet. So what did he mean?
In Greek, this passage of Scripture has the meaning of not being ostentatious, proud, or boastful. Paul isn't saying to be a wall flower; he's saying our goal should be to prove ourselves not through what we have, but what we do.
Leading a quiet life, then, means not showing off. In the next verse, Paul tells us the goal of such living is to win the respect of outsiders. Not by what we have, but rather by how we live.
That makes a little more sense.
But what about minding your own business?
Paul is all about telling people what they're doing wrong, and what they should be doing instead. Many of his letters are written to groups of people who are living sinfully, and Paul isn't having it! Is that minding your own business?
To get a sense of what Paul is saying, I think we need to back up a few verses, to I Thessalonians 4:3. If you start reading there, you see that Paul spends some time talking about sexual immorality, and not taking advantage of our brother or wronging him in such a manner.
Some translations say we should strive to mind our own affairs, and I think that's an interesting play on words, given what Paul just said. He's telling us to keep our nose out of our brother's tent. Let's face it: if our goal is to win the respect of others, it's hard to do that with your pants around your ankles. Blunt, but applicable to today's world, wouldn't you say?
Finally, work with your hands.
Paul's logic behind this one is plain, as seen in verse 12: So that you will not be dependent on anybody. I know some people can't work for a variety of reasons. Paul isn't talking to them. He's talking to the able bodied who can provide for themselves. Paul was a tent maker, and he worked throughout his ministry. Could he have lived off the generosity of others? Sure. Would he have gained as much respect? I don't think so.
You're not going to win much respect if you're able to earn your own way and simply choose not too. Nobody I know likes leeches, either the black, slimy ones or the other kind.
Three goals to strive for.
Lead a quiet life. Mind your own affairs. Work with your hands.
Seems to me like pretty good advice.
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