Old Uncle John was not so spry as he had once been. There were only a few
black hairs left among the many gray ones. His limbs were shaky and his
steps faltering. He was “no good for work any more,” he said; but there
were two things that he kept on doing right along: he seemed to be always
smiling and he seemed to be always praising the Lord. “Happy John,” people
called him, and he certainly deserved the name. He did not seem to have
much of this world’s goods to make him glad. His lot in life did not
appear to be more than usually pleasant, nor was there anything in the way
of external evidence to show whence his happiness came. I had often sat
and gazed upon his placid face lifted in devotion to God. He never seemed
to get into trouble. No matter what happened, Uncle John seemed to have no
part in the trouble. With others, troubles came and troubles went, but
Uncle John still smiled and praised the Lord.
One day I was standing outside the meeting-house with a little company of
brethren, when Uncle John came walking out, smiling as usual and praising
the Lord. One of the brethren said to him, “Uncle John, how does it come
that you are always so happy and never seem to get into trouble?” He
stopped and looked at the speaker with a broad smile, and answered, “I
just praise the Lord and mind my own business.” He turned and walked away,
but his words lingered in my ears and were indelibly impressed upon my
memory. His secret was very simple, but very effective. And thus he went
on smiling, praising the Lord and minding his own business, and he was
“happy John” even to the end. Many years ago he went to his reward, but
the lesson that I learned that day has never been lost.
Uncle John’s rule for keeping out of trouble seemed very simple. It looks
very easy to mind one’s own business, but it is one of the hardest things
in the world to do, because it is one of the hardest things in the world
for us to be willing to do. The Scripture says, “Every fool will be
meddling,” and it is so hard for some folks not to act like fools, anyway
in this particular respect, even though they are ever so wise. The affairs
of others are so interesting to them! This is a very human trait, but it
sometimes leads to unpleasant consequences.
God knew the failing of people on this line, so he said, “Study to be
quiet, and to do your own business” (1 Thess. 4: 11). You have, no doubt,
studied a great many lessons, but have you studied this particular one? It
is evident that many have not yet learned this if they have studied over
it. Probably they did not know that it requires studying. Possibly they
never thought of it as being an object for study. But it is. We shall
never graduate in the school of wisdom until we study this lesson and
learn it thoroughly. “Study to be quiet and to do your own business.” That
is the lesson. Have you learned it? Some folks are always talking,
talking, talking. There seems to be no end to their talk. When people talk
so much they are sure to talk of some things that should not be talked of.
Some people can not keep an experience of salvation because they talk too
much, and as a result they have a great deal of spiritual trouble that
might be avoided. But, then, they are so interested in their friends and
neighbors! How can they help talking about them? Why, just let them spend
their time in studying to be quiet. Let them give themselves a few lessons
in minding their own business.
Peter had that human trait. He was interested in what John was going to
do. When he asked the Lord, “What shall this man do?” he received an
answer. He did not have to wait for it. It was this, “What is that to
thee? Follow thou me.” I have known many good Christian people who became
mixed up in neighborhood or family affairs and got into a great mess of
trouble because they failed to mind their own business. If there is a
dog-fight going on, all the dogs in the community seem to want to join in
it. There seems to be something in humanity that is very much the same. If
there is trouble in the community they want to mix into it some way or
another. Trouble is a thing that is much easier to get into than it is to
get out of.
More people get into trouble through the wrong use of their tongues than
through any other means, I suppose. The Wise Man says, “He that keepeth
his tongue keepeth his soul from trouble.” He also says, “The beginning of
strife is as when one letteth out water.” You know how it runs in every
direction, so that you can not gather it up again nor confine it. Never
meddle with the strife of others. You are sure of an abundant crop of
trouble if you do. It is written, “He that passeth by and meddleth with
strife belonging not to him is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.”
You know how that is: if he holds fast he will get into trouble, and if he
lets go he will get into trouble.
There are some people who are religious and who seem to get along pretty
well until their children get mixed up in trouble with some one. Just as
sure as that happens they are in the trouble, too. They think that their
children could not be to blame. They take the children’s part, and trouble
is the result. And when they have gotten out of the trouble, if they do
get out, they have dishonored both themselves and their religion. There
are others who can never let trouble alone if their friends or neighbors
are in it. They will mix in. They feel that they must defend their
friends, and they are often so partial in their feelings toward them that
they can not believe them to be in the wrong. They become all heated in
the thing, and before they know it they have a big case of spiritual
trouble on hand in addition to the other trouble.
When people get into trouble, they like to tell others about it. If you
have sympathetic ears for trouble, you can hear plenty of it. When you
hear such things, it is very easy to pass them on to some one else. Never
let yourself he a news-carrier for trouble. You will have trouble of your
own if you do. The only business that a Christian has in relation to such
troubles is as a peace-maker, and even then he must be very cautious and
wise, or he will become involved.
Few people want to take God’s way out of trouble. They will do anything to
have their own way out. We are told to leave off strife before it is
meddled with. That is the only safe way. While you are out, keep out; and
the only way to keep out is to mind your own business. Try Uncle John’s
rule. It will work very well. It is a splendid preventive of trouble.
Would you be happy? Would you have the confidence of your neighbors and
associates? Would you be free from worldly entanglements? Would you have a
contented heart and a cheerful mind? Would you be worthy of the esteem of
the people? Would you be different from worldly people? Would you be a
sunshine-bearer for your neighborhood? There is just one way to do it. You
must do as “happy John” did—smile, praise the Lord, and mind your own
business.