READ: MATTHEW 7:3-5; LUKE 6:27-49; 1 THESSALONIANS 4:7-12

Once when I was driving home, I spotted a new sign in someone’s yard. The huge letters read: “I found your nose. It was in my business again.” The sign stayed for several years until it was taken down. Recently, my family and I noticed it was back again! Of course, we found this pretty hilarious. But it also reminded me about how we should live as followers of Christ.

When Paul was writing his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, he wanted to tell them how to live to please God, so he urged them to love one another and to “lead a quiet life” and “mind your own business” (1 Thessalonians 4:10-11). Why should followers of Jesus do these things? Paul continued, “so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders” (verse 12). Think about it: when you find out someone has been gossiping or slandering another person, how much respect do you have for them? Would you trust them?

We’re often tempted to take part in gossip, but as followers of Jesus, we’re called to treat others the way He treats us. We are to live our lives in such a way that we not only show love to those who love us and treat us well, but we are to love our enemies and do good to everyone, regardless of whether they can pay us back or if they “deserve” it (Luke 6:27-36). We should choose forgiveness over condemnation and mercy over judgment—because when we deserved condemnation and judgement, Jesus extended forgiveness and mercy to us.

No one is perfect, but we can be forgiven. In Matthew 7, Jesus told a parable about someone pointing out a speck of sawdust in another person’s eye— meanwhile they had a plank in their own eye. Instead of being nosy and trying to uncover or magnify other people’s faults, God calls us to examine ourselves. As we humbly ask for His truth to shine in our lives, He will reveal sins that we need to confess. He is always ready to help us turn away from sin, including gossip, so that we can rest in His forgiveness and walk forward in love. • Savannah Coleman

• Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we are the salt of the earth and lights in a dark world (Matthew 5:13-16). The flavor of salt counteracts bitterness in food. Lately, have you been speaking and acting in ways that bring flavor or leave a bitter taste? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about this. (If you want to dig deeper, read John 3:19-21; Romans 2:4; 3:23-24; 8:1; 12:9-21; Ephesians 4:25-32; 5:8-14; Colossians 4:6.)

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… 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV)