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I Thessalonians 4:11-12
I found these two verses very interesting. Paul, whom I think of as one of the most radical Christians of the day, is telling the church to lead a quiet life, mind your own business, and to work with your hands.........

I am not making a critical judgment against Paul, rather I feel there is more to this than we can see by reading the letter. Certainly he must have had in mind other than what I can see. I have read where he stated, he could not keep silent. To me that means he must speak out and speaking out especially as he did among the religious people of the time would be anything but a quiet life. Also to follow his footsteps in the book of Acts tells me he did not lead a quiet life, he was always on the cutting edge.

Every time I read through the book of Acts I am more and more impressed with this "quiet" man. As I read his letters to the churches again, I am even more impressed how he was willing to work with his own hands to earn his keep and even helped others as well, but was never guilty of being quiet or minding
his own business when it came to the Message of the Gospel of Christ and the Kingdom. I know personally what it is like to "speak out". I know personally what it is like not to "speak out" when the Spirit inside is compelling to do so. There are negative ramifications either way. If I don't, I die inside, if I do, they kill me outside. (Whoever they are)

I honestly do not know what Paul was trying to say in this sentence, but I do know one thing; his daily life certainly won the respect of the outsiders and the church as well. The religionists were frightened of him but his brothers and sisters in Christ adored him. As far as I know he never depended on others for his well-being. He took what was offered with thanksgiving, but expected no one to feed or care for him monetarily.

What would it be like today if we could follow someone who had the same mentality, who lived in the same manner, quietly as Paul did, who could command even a resemblance of the same respect and expect nothing in return for their support. Their only reward for advancing the Kingdom would be jail time.

I suspect most of us, including me would not want to be around that fellow,
because we too would feel threatened.