WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JULY 22, 2026
TOPIC: MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!
BY T. O. BANSO
“You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you” (1 Thessalonians 4:11b New International Version).
This devotional is not advocating a self-centred or selfish life. “Mind your own business” does not contradict Philippians 2:4, which says, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (New King James Version). Neither does 1 Corinthians 10:24, which says, “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being” (New King James Version) contradict “Mind your own business.” The phrase “Mind your own business” means don’t interfere in other people’s affairs or meddle in what doesn’t concern you. It means not to gossip about anyone or to stay out of other people’s businesses.
Mind your own business! Don’t be drawn into a matter that doesn’t concern you. Respect others’ privacy. Don’t make other people’s businesses your business! Paul said, “You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you” (1 Thessalonians 4:11b New International Version).
A man approached Jesus, asking Him to tell his brother to give him his share of their father’s inheritance. Jesus refused to be drawn into that. The Bible says, “But He said to him, ‘Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?’” (Luke 12:14 New King James Version).
In the book of Exodus, two Hebrew men were fighting in Egypt, and Moses tried to be a peacemaker. But the wrong one told him, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” (Exodus 2:14a New King James Version).
Referring to this incident, Acts 7:27-29 says, “But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons” (New King James Version).
It was after Moses’ 40 years in Midian that God sent him back to Egypt to deliver the Israelites (Acts 7:30). Verse 35 says, “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush” (New King James Version).
Compare what the Hebrew man said to Moses to what Jesus said. As seen earlier, though that man invited Jesus to get involved in the sharing of his family inheritance, He knew He was not a judge over his family. He had no anointing for sharing family inheritance! He came to save souls, not to share family inheritance!
Don’t interfere in things that don’t concern you. Being a pastor doesn’t give you the authority to be involved in every family matter of your members or in everything. Don’t try to take over others’ jobs.
Even if you’re invited, let them know that you know your boundaries. Moreover, there are things you shouldn’t invite yourself into! Mind your business. Respect people’s boundaries.
In 2 Chronicles 35:20-24, King Josiah of Judah, a good king, died prematurely because he interfered in a war that didn’t concern him. Despite King Necho of Egypt’s assurance that he had not come to fight him but his (Necho’s) enemies, Josiah went to fight him, going into the battle disguised. Unfortunately, the enemy archers shot him and wounded him. At his request, his servants took him to Jerusalem, where he died. Josiah died needlessly because he didn’t mind his own business. Don’t get involved in another person’s battle. Similarly, don’t let anyone recruit you to fight his enemy!
Know what concerns you and what doesn’t. If you get involved and you get yourself into trouble, it’s your fault. 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 warns believers not to go about interfering in or meddling in other people’s businesses but settle down, get to work, and earn their own living. Don’t be busy with other people’s lives! 1 Peter 4:15 says, “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters” (New King James Version). Note the last phrase in this scripture: a busybody in other people’s matters. Don’t be a busybody, prying into others’ affairs. Mind your own business.
In 1 Timothy 5:13, Paul warns about the possibility of young widows becoming lazy and spending their time gossiping from house to house, getting involved in other people’s matters, and saying things they shouldn’t. Some are not widows but engage in such unchristian practices. If you’re guilty of this, stop it.
Idleness can make people meddlesome. Paul said he laboured, working with his own hands (1 Corinthians 4:12). He didn’t loaf about. If you’re busy with your work, you will hardly have time to interfere in other people’s affairs.
Ephesians 4:28 says, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (New King James Version). Each person should engage in productive work and mind his own business.
Don’t meddle in other people’s affairs. Proverbs 26:17 says, “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears” (New King James Version). Galatians 6:4-5 says each one should examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another, for each one shall bear his own load. Each person will give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:12).
Talking about hypocrites, who didn’t mind their own business, but liked to point out others’ faults, Jesus said, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye” (Luke 6:41-42 New King James Version). Matthew 7:3-5 says a similar thing. Mind your own business!
In John 21, after Jesus had told Peter how he would die, Peter asked him, “Lord, what about him?”—referring to the disciple Jesus loved, believed to be John. Jesus replied to him, “If I want him to live until I come back, that is not your business. You follow me” (John 21:22 New Century Version). Mind your own business!
As you seek the well-being of others according to 1 Corinthians 10:24, know your boundaries. Although Philippians 2:4 says you should not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others, know your limits. Know what concerns you and what doesn’t. Know what should bother you and what shouldn’t.
Don’t waste your time on what doesn’t concern you. Everybody will live with the consequences of his decisions. You should know when to stop advising some people and instead keep praying for them. Walk in love with others, but mind your own business.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must give your heart to Jesus now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life—your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I shall mind my own business and work with my hands. I shall not pry into other people’s affairs. Holy Spirit, as I look for the interests of others and seek their well-being, help me to stay within my boundaries.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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