Saturday, February 19, 2011

MYOB-Mind Your Own Business



Jesus replied, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me."-John 21:22 (NLT)



MYOB. This is a 21st century anacronym for Mind Your Own Business. In today's society, with the advent of Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and other forms of social media, it is very easy to NOT mind your own business. I like facebook. I use it frequently, but I have to be careful or I could just sit around all day not putting first things first. Facebook, along with other media, makes it possible to know the latest info on MANY people all in an instant. However, it can also create some stress from knowing too much at once. A librarian friend of mine referred to it as "information overload."

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 Paul tells the church in Thessalonica to, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others."(NLT) He says that if we do these things, it will draw respect from people who are not Christians and you as a Christian will not need to depend on other people. God desires every person to come to know Jesus. Everybody. One way they will come to know him is through observation of Christians. Can they see Jesus in you from the way you live your daily life?

MYOB. Why else should you mind your own business? Jesus tells us to. In John chapter 21, Jesus is having a conversation with Peter. Jesus has just told him how he will be martyred. It doesn't even appear that Peter is paying attention to what Jesus just said. He starts asking him about John! Jesus says, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow ME." John 21:22(NIV) Jesus basically told Peter to MYOB. He was to be responsible for Peter and for Peter following Jesus.

I do want to clarify that I am not saying to never do anything for anybody else. There are numerous scriptures on helping people. It is the nature of Jesus to give. As a follower of Christ, you should be giving regularly through your time, finances, goods, and most importantly the love you demonstrate to your family and those who are close to you both in proximity and emotionally. But, it is important to not be so consumed with other's lives, that we lose our focus on what we are to be doing at the moment.

If the body of Christ started to mind their own business, what could we accomplish? Would it affect our health? Would our stress levels decrease? Would we be more productive? Would it affect the outcome of other people's lives, if we minded our own business and only followed Jesus? How will minding your own business help you today?

2 comments:

  1. I defintly get it. I totally see what you mean. I have seen people tell people what to do, and they don't even really know the person. I think people want the easy way out, so they ask someone to make decsions for them. People have to seek out their own truth.

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  2. You are right Candace. I think sometimes people cannot deal with what is happening in the present here and now in their own lives and they tend to hide in other's lives.

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