Do you ever find yourself trying to take care of someone else’s business, without their consent or invitation? I think most of us are probably guilty of butting in where we do not always belong. Perhaps we see a person “messing up” and feel compelled to step in to help. Maybe the action is so outrageous we believe something has to be said.
I am not suggesting we should never get involved or that all intervention is bad, but it would serve us well to do so cautiously and thoughtfully. Just remember how you feel when someone intrudes in your life. Surely all would agree we need to guard against becoming meddlers or busybodies in other people’s matters. (1 Peter 4:15)
At the same time, Christians must teach the saving message to a lost world. I know some would call this meddling, but the Bible has a different take on spreading the “Good News”. It would be somewhat like the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) diagnosing a pandemic. Telling those infected they have the disease is not enough. People need to understand causes, risk factors, possible outcomes, what will aggravate the illness, and what can be done to mitigate the effects. A good physician will say, “all is not lost; there is hope” if a cure exists. I would want the CDC and my physician to make all of this known to me. I might choose to reject the cure, but I would not think of them as meddling just because they gave the information. Now if they tried to force the cure on me, that would be a different matter. They would then be butting into my space and choice.
The Bible’s message does all of this for those who are spiritually ill. Christ is the Great Physician diagnosing the spiritual disease of sin, warning of its deadly consequence, and providing the cure. (Mark 2:17) I know many do not want to be confronted and challenged with the truth of God’s Word, but it provides the only remedy for sin.
Do not be put off or discouraged when people say “mind your own business” because, in essence, they are not rejecting you, but God. They are telling God to stop interfering and to stay out of their affairs. When you talk to someone about their sin and need for salvation, the message had better be God’s, because if not it is worthless.
Gamaliel had it right in Acts 5 when warned the Jewish Council they could not win a battle against God or His servants. So if the apostles were teaching God’s Word, which they were, then their battle was with God. I am also reminded of Paul’s statement in Acts 13 when he said the Jews had “rejected” God’s Word. What people need to understand is the Bible is God’s only means of conveying the message of salvation.
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
After the Jews “opposed the things spoken by Paul” (“the word of God”) Paul turned to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:45-46) He forced Himself on no one, and those offended by the gospel wanted nothing to do with Paul or God’s Word. The apostle did not waste his time on such people.
I can certainly understand why some might think God’s people meddle. After all, when our whole faith and life center on Bible teaching we are often misfits to worldly people. Because we are different and refuse to do what they do, they think we arestrange. (1 Peter 4:3-4)
Sadly, we have gotten to a point in society where just reading or quoting the Bible is considered meddlesome by many. If I quote 1 Cor. 6:9-10, which condemns all manner of sexual immorality, as wells as other sins, many would say I am judging and meddling in places that should be off limits. “Let people do as they please, leave them alone, keep your faith to yourself” we are told.
Please understand, there is no physical illness as bad as the spiritual disease of sin. The very worse any pandemic illness can do is only physical in nature. It may hurt the health of some and take the life of others. There may be financial hardships and emotional strain on families. We want and demand information and solutions from our health officials. We could not imagine them keeping cures from us. Most would never say, “mind your own business” if the doctors had solutions.
In comparing the worst that can happen to us physically and spiritually, Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) Do you really want Jesus to stay out of your life? Do you really think He is meddling when His Word is read? You are not meddling when you stand for truth when you tell people what they need to hear. If they believe you are, shame on them for rejecting God.
Terry Starling