“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.” 

or as a busybody in other people’s matters

Peter says, “Do nothing that would give your enemies an excuse to attack your Christianity, even to the extent of meddling in other people’s business.” Some people love to intrude in others’ affairs. This person is a self-appointed overseer of other people’s business. These people love to run the lives of other people. They interfere in business not their own. 

We have more busybodies in church than murders. We have more busybodies than thieves. We have more busybodies than evildoers. Do you make it a practice to stick your nose in other people’s business? Some people tell others how to raise their children when they have brats of their own. 

The Bible speaks to the issue of meddling in the affairs of others in a couple of other passages:

1 Th 4:11-12, “That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” 

We need to take lessons on how to be quiet. It takes some study to learn how to mind our own business. 

PRINCIPLE: 

It is unchristian to meddle in the affairs of other people.

APPLICATION:

Too much idle time introduces the problem of being a busybody.

1 Ti 5:13, “And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.”

If tattlers and busybodies find no one to listen to them, they would be forced out of business. If we receive stolen goods, we are as guilty as the thief. There is something in the human spirit that loves the juicy morsel of gossip. 

Some things are better left unsaid even though it may be true and accurate. You may feel that you are merely reporting the facts, but what good is this doing? It would not serve any purpose to pass it on. It should die with you, but you are dying to tell someone. Like money, it burns a hole in your pocket. You must tell someone. You call someone that you have a “prayer request.” We call this “spiritual gossip.” “I don’t want you to think that I am gossiping, but I would like you to pray about this. Mr. and Mrs. So and So are having marriage trouble.” There are some things we pray about privately.

Are you a nosey person? Are you a person who cannot mind his own business (Ro 14:4,10)? Christians do not have the right to ruin other people’s lives. If we do, we play God. We try to lead the lives of other people. Some Christians bully other Christians. 

The nosey person always starts with attitude sins. This person is usually bitter, antagonistic, vindictive, implacable, and operates with a guilt complex. He is so unhappy with himself that he tries to run the lives of other people. He wants to superimpose his view of the world on other people. He wants to pour them into his pseudo mold. He does this by maligning, nip picking, and criticism. The basic system of operation is retaliation and bullying.