Daily Devotional – 2/23/12 “Mind your own business!”

Now, I know this is a Christian Devotional but sometime you got to break this thing down for better understanding. Johnnie Taylor has a song that’s called “Doing my own thing” and I don’t know why the Lord placed this on my spirit but he did, so I am being obedient. Don’t act like I am stepping outside of Christianity with this because the bible says don’t conform to the patterns of the world, which I’m not, but I’m simply conforming the world to Christianity. The lyrics of the song say “Live it like you want to live it, give it like you want to give it, love like you want to love it, hold it like you want to hold it. It makes me so mad, every time I turn my back, people are talking about me, saying I’m doing this or that but that don’t bother me cause I’m not bothering you, I’m doing my own thang; that’s all I want to do. If I want to go get drunk every night and day, if I don’t throw beer cans in your back yard, what do you have to say? Let me do my thang that’s all I want to do!” Now, I know you’re wondering how this fits in, but let me drop this in your spirit. If more Christian folk would keep their nose out of worldly business, then they could be better Christians. We sit around and gossip with folks about how many baby daddies she got instead of inviting her to church so that she can learn about the worthiness that God has bestowed upon her as a woman. We forward text messages around about the Pastor and then bring that mess to worship service on Sunday instead of listening to the message and if the truth shall be told, you only came to church to see if he was going to say or do something that you can go back and report on. But baby God isn’t fooled by the act you put on. If you would do you own thing, then you wouldn’t have time to worry about foolish mess. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 says, “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 Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.”

Isn’t that something? When you mind your OWN business, sinners will respect the way you live and you won’t lack for anything. See, when you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing, on your Christian journey, then God will reward your efforts but as soon as you step foot in someone else’s yard tending to their business, you become messy and messy folks tend to leave a mess! It’s like when you step in mud, no matter how much you try to clean off your shoe, some will still remain and you’ll end up tracking it back into your house. Well, when you dip into other folks business, it also tends to follow you back to your house. Let me explain. You see your neighbor’s husband occasionally and one day you come home from work early and see him with another woman outside of their house. You know it’s not his wife and you know it’s not a sister because a sister and brother don’t act like that so here you go with your nosey self. The next day you happen to see the wife at the mailbox and you run over there to tell it. Now all hell is breaking loss at their house and now the husband is upset and banging on your door. Why, because you should have minded your own business. You don’t know the mentality of folks and you can never tell how they handle certain situations and you could have easily put your family in harm’s way by sticking your finger in someone else’s Kool-Aid. Proverbs 17:9 says, “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” Just because it was your eyes that saw, doesn’t mean it should be your tongue that talks. You’ll end up losing a friendship by telling somebody what their man or woman was doing because they tend to believe the one they’re sleeping with over you any day. Mind your own business!

Now, I am not saying be rude or mean, to folks in the world because you are supposed to love everybody but I am saying, know your limit and stay in your lane. The bible says in Colossians 4:5, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” The outsiders in this text are those who are not in the church. Not necessarily sinners because we are all sinners, the only difference is one repents and one doesn’t. But, this scripture is saying just because you go to church on Sunday and a few days during the week, it doesn’t make you capable of sending me to Heaven or Hell. Just because you know a few scriptures by memory it doesn’t mean you can treat me like I am nothing compared to you. Just because you got a little favor from God, it doesn’t mean you treat me like I am dependent on you when I may ask for a little help. Haven’t you heard that you can be so Heavenly bound that you’re no earthly good? Well, it can happen. You carry the bible under your arm and you act so perfect but you’re human so you have or will make a mistake, so don’t act like you don’t. Stop acting like folks in the world aren’t worthy of a blessing, because it’ll only take one step for you to backslide. It’s sad sometimes how “Christians” act. You turn your nose up at the man at the liquor store who is begging for money, but it could be you. You quickly delete the emails asking for help in raising food for the homeless, but it could be you. You cross the street or roll your window up when you see someone coming who may ask for something, but it could be you. Your blessed life can be turned upside down quicker than a blink of an eye. Don’t act like you’re the only one God can bless but be willing to help somebody sometime. You don’t have to make a show of it or do it for gratification and glory from man because Hebrews 13:16 says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” You can help folk without being all in their business. If I call and ask you to borrow $20, give it to me if you have it and stop asking all them dang questions! If I ask you to pray for me, do it without needing to know every little bit of what’s going on. Stop being so nosey all the time and mind your own business. I’ve learned if you stay in your own yard (minding your own business), you won’t be involved in drama and mess which takes you off of the path of receiving God’s message which then detours you down the wrong road. Mind your own business and you’ll then have time to hear God’s voice when he’s speaking. Mind your own business and you’ll be alert enough to receive your blessings instead of letting them pass you by.