First Thessalonians 4:11–12 talks about making it your ambition to lead a quiet life. As a commercial real estate broker, I’m told to advertise and promote myself to attract new clients. How should I reconcile these apparently opposing positions?
This is a wise question—and an increasingly challenging one. No matter a person’s career, the act of self-promotion is now baked into our society. We routinely showcase aspects of our lives that were formerly kept quiet and only shared with close friends and family. We tell our mass of online friends when we earn a raise, restyle our living room, or take our kids out for ice cream on a Tuesday. If we aren’t careful, the volume and frequency of these posts can affect the posture of our hearts.
With the proliferation of social media came the new societal pattern of continual self-display and, in many cases, self-promotion. For many people, it’s possible to abstain from it all and suffer no worse than a small amount of social pressure.
But what if you work in real estate, communications, public office, or another career that requires you to build a positive personal brand? What if your income depends on social media, advertising circulars, and local billboards? Should Christians promote themselves as a part of their vocations?
Let’s consider three shifts that can enable us to get it right.
1. Shift toward promoting something other than yourself.
As a real estate agent, you sell houses. People need to trust you’re the right agent to help them buy or sell, but you aren’t the product.
When you pivot from promoting yourself to promoting the value provided to others, your posture changes from taking to giving. Your goal is no longer to gain attention or to be known but to look out for the interests of others (Phil. 2:4). Being a recognizable face may be a by-product of the service you provide, but it isn’t the goal.
When you pivot from promoting yourself to promoting the value provided to others, your posture changes from taking to giving.
Well-known ministers and theologians serve as examples of this God-honoring posture. The apostle Paul gained notoriety as he spread the teachings of Jesus in the first century, and his New Testament letters are still studied by Christians today. My personal Bible study time is sometimes supported by reading the commentaries of well-known men like Charles Spurgeon and R. C. Sproul. Even outside of Christian circles, people recognize the name and influence of Billy Graham.
These men were famous. They were known and trusted, which magnified the widespread work the Holy Spirit completed through their faithfulness. They weren’t promoting themselves. While they were far from quiet, the noise they made was not the sound of self-glorification but of making a big deal of the gospel message. They were fulfilling the Great Commission, as all Christians are instructed to do (Matt. 28:19–20).
If your position requires you to be seen and known, consider what kind of noise you’re making. Are you representing Christ well in the work you do?
Christians should be real estate agents who navigate every sale with integrity, business owners who lead with humility, and public servants who prioritize honesty above personal gain. When you serve God and love people through your career, you shift from self-promotion to promoting the message of Christ.
2. Shift your focus toward connecting rather than promoting.
We’re better able to live out the biblical principle of humility (Prov. 11:2) when we wisely refrain from boasting about ourselves (Jer. 9:23–24). Instead of talking to our clients and customers about our past triumphs or anticipated success, let’s ask them about themselves.
Shifting from promotion to connection makes practical business sense as well. Your potential customer’s primary concern is “Can this person help me?” An authentic human relationship is the best foundation for uncovering the needs of your customers and showing up in a way that best supports them and their unique situations.
This outward focus will undoubtedly make you better at your job and help your clients feel more cared for in the process. Even if they choose to go in another direction, you’ll have represented Christ well. You never know how the Spirit will work through any seeds that were planted.
3. Shift toward faithful stewardship and work ethic.
Let’s look at the passage you’ve referenced from 1 Thessalonians. Given the context surrounding the text, Paul was likely not instructing the Christians in Thessalonica to be completely unseen and unheard. Instead, the passage delivers practical instructions for how the young church is to live while awaiting the return of Christ: in brotherly love, tending to their own business, and working with their hands (4:9–12).
We see related passages in Paul’s second letter to the Christians in Thessalonica. He’d heard some were “walk[ing] in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies” (2 Thess. 3:11). The Christians were again encouraged to do their work quietly, which Paul seems to equate with minding our own business and getting our tasks done (1 Thess. 4:6–12; 2 Thess. 3:6–12). The “quiet life” values peace with others and a committed work ethic, even in the humble or mundane aspects of our lives.
The ‘quiet life’ values peace with others and a committed work ethic.
No matter your career placement, the message to all Christians is the same: Jesus is coming back. In the meantime, faithfully fulfill your daily duties. That may include selling houses, serving coffee, leading meetings, or scrubbing bathroom floors. In any case, your work ethic and love for others are acts of obedience and faithful stewardship while you await Christ’s return.
As you make these important shifts, remember you’re a vehicle for both your work and the gospel message. God’s Spirit is moving. As you continue to do the work assigned to you, surrender your daily interactions to his work. Like John the Baptist, make it your ambition for others to see more of Jesus and less of you (John 3:30).
The Gospel Coalition