For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Purity of heart, motive, and thought is of the utmost importance to God. When we follow Jesus we must desire a pure life, or our pursuit of him is not genuine and all-out in nature. And when we hear the truth from one of God’s messengers that lines up with the Bible and Jesus’ teaching, we have a choice: accept or reject the truth. Paul’s point here is valid, you accept or reject not the messenger, but the God behind the messenger.

What is something you really enjoy doing, so much so that you are compelled to try and find any way to do this thing — all the time? For some it might be traveling the world. For others, watching their kids play sports. Still others might be compelled to make more money or buy more things. Paul is challenging the Thessalonians here to be consumed and compelled by the love of God. To live in bigger and better ways. If we are to strive after something, should it not be loving well?  

Paul’s final encouragement is to lead a quiet life, have jobs that are not dependent on others as much, and when he says mind your own business, I think he is really saying: “work on yourself and your growth areas first.” It is easy to point out others’ flaws and gossip about them, sometimes. In a wicked way, this may even feel enjoyable.  But it is not Godly. We need to be humble, gracious, and cognizant of our sinful past and our need for redemption by Jesus Christ.

Lord, help me to seek purification and to be holy as you are holy. May I expand my capacity to love and ditch the old sinful practices of gossip.  Help me to be someone who is not reliant on sinful men for my daily needs. May I work hard at my craft and bless others.