Paul commands us to make it our goal to live quiet lives. “Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.” [1 Thess 4:11-12 NLT]
March 26 was my father’s birthday. He was born in 1913 and died 1988. Seeing his birthday on my calendar turned my thoughts to my dad. When my brother and I were youngsters, I would not have described my dad as quiet. He had a temper and could often shout his displeasure. But as my father came to know Jesus in a more personal experience, his temper quieted. In his last decades, he lived the life Paul describes above.
He had a strong work ethic and always shouldered the responsibility of providing for his family. His love for people increased as he aged. When people remember him, they tell me they never heard him say a bad word against anyone, that he always had a smile and a hug for them along with a word of encouragement. They remember him with respect.
He may have had very little in the way of material things, but in his quiet way he won the respect of others and possessed the love of his family. He left a good legacy and a good testimony for Christ. I pray to do likewise.