2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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A GODLY BUSYBODY?
MONDAY, MAY 1
Philippians 2:1-4
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
“Look not every man
on his own things…”
A GODLY BUSYBODY?
A busybody is one who delights to pry and meddle in other people’s business. He interferes with matters that ought not to concern him, much to the ire of the parties concerned. The Bible condemns such behaviour, as one who is “…idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not” (1 Tim 5:13). Yet Philippians 2:4 seems, at least on the surface, to encourage such behaviour. Is there a sort of “busybody” behaviour that is actually good?
Philippians 2:4 comes in the midst of Paul’s exhortation to the Philippian Christians to put aside their proud strivings for vainglory, but instead to strive to have the humble mind of Christ. When he told them not to look on their own things but on the things of others, it was not in the sense of being nosy. It was rather the opposite.
The word “look” is from the Greek word skopeo which means to focus attention on. What Paul is telling us here is that we must stop having such a selfish fixation on self: our own comforts, our own wishes, our own desires. Such self-centred behaviour is not pleasing to God.
Instead, we must have an outward-looking, caring concern for others. We must learn to place the needs of others before self, to care for the needs of others. This of course does not mean that we become busybodies, to poke our noses into the affairs of others just for our own perverse curiosity’s sake. It also means that we should not try to offer unsolicited advice, to criticise and find fault in the affairs of others, or to gossip and pry into their private matters. But what it does call for is a loving care and concern for the needs and problems of those around us. We must stop being caught up in our own little worlds and our trivial concerns, but to have the Christian heart of care and compassion. If all of us can learn to be such godly “busybodies,” it can go a long way towards making our church a much more caring and edifying place.
THOUGHT: How do I draw the line between helpful concern and nosy busybody?
PRAYER: Father, grant me the love and wisdom to know how to be loving and edifying in my concern for others.