Or Even a BusyBody

Oh how I love summer months. As a teacher, obtaining good sleep, spending quality time in God’s Word, and accomplishing my to-do list is quite the feat during the school year. It’s a balancing act that could rival even the best acrobat on a tightrope. A few weeks ago, my pastor’s wife challenged the church congregation to read the Bible until something stood out. This challenge has been so fulfilling. Reading with the intention of finding something is so much more life-giving than reading because you know you need to or just to read. It’s like being a detective, on the search for a little gold nugget. Even within the last week, the little gold nuggets have supplied a bubbling joy in my heart that is hard to contain. 

Today, on my search for the little gold nugget, I found a handful. It’s funny how once you start finding them, it becomes harder to stop reading even when the to-do list for the day is never-ending. Anywho, this little gold nugget is making my brain swirl. 

1 Peter 4:15: “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.”

In this passage of scripture, Peter seems to be expressing an encouragement to the Church of God. Chapter four of 1st Peter is this quick overview of how to live a life unto God: 1) Christ suffered, 2) He has brought you out of a life filled with the lusts of this flesh, 3) People are going to question your change in lifestyle, 4) Pray, 5) Love everyone, 6) Be hospitable, 7) Use your gifts in the ministry, 8) Speak in a way that glorifies God, 9) Be joyful in your trial, 10) Expect to suffer for Christ’s sake, 11) Don’t suffer as a murder, thief, evildoer, or busybody, and 12) Remain faithful unto Christ. Does anyone else’s head tilt a little bit at this? So 11 out of 12 points are extremely encouraging in our Christian walk. The other 1 point is quite intriguing. It almost feels as if Peter went on a bunny trail and then remembered what he was talking about and gets back on track. Surprisingly enough though, that is not the case at all. 1 Peter 4:15 was very intentionally placed in this chapter and presses on an important matter that we too quickly forget. 

It’s important to notice that this chapter talks a lot about the sufferings a Christian may face in this life. Peter explains that suffering is not only normal but should be celebrated. When people hate you for standing up for the truth, for not going to the places you may have gone before, for talking in a productive way compared to the slander that used to come across your lips, you should rejoice because God is doing a good work in you and that is evident. But Peter quickly cautions that we realize a difference in sufferings that occur in this world. “But let none of you suffer as a murder, or as a thief, or as an evildoer…” You know, this isn’t the part of the scripture that hit me. I understand that Peter is wanting us to realize that if we have sinned, those sufferings are consequences for evil actions and are not to be celebrated as the sufferings that come from doing right in a world that evil is rampant. The little nugget that hit me was the part where he lists “busybody” amongst a list of other things that no person loving Christ would do willingly. The other three things make me cringe when I read them: 1) Murderer - taking someone’s right to life, killing for the sake of satisfaction; 2) Thief - taking someone’s possessions that they have inherited or worked hard for; 3) Evildoer - someone who habitually partakes of things that are sinful and causes harm to themselves through habits that are ungodly; these three sins seem obvious. They are things I can’t imagine possible doing. In my mind, they are “big” sins. 

Being a busybody though… That is listed right alongside murderers, thieves, and practicing criminals. Why would God intentionally have being a busybody listed among three “big” sins? The answer is simple, this sin is just as damaging as any of the others, if not more so. You see, being a busybody is when conversations concerning the business of others swirl your life. This may come in the form of: “Have you heard of _____, we should really be praying for them”, or “Oh my goodness I cannot believe, do you know what my husband/wife did?” Being a busybody is someone who feeds unnecessary information to others or consumes the information themselves.