Behaving Properly Toward Outsiders, Part 1

Insight for Living Daily Broadcast

Chuck Swindoll - Insight for Living

Christian, Religious And Spirituality, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.7 • 3.1K Ratings

🗓️ 20 March 2026

⏱️ 28 minutes

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Summary

1 Thessalonians 4:9–12 Many Christians struggle to relate with non-Christians. We might ignore them or offend them, but Paul calls us to behave properly toward them (1 Thessalonians 4:9–12). Pastor Chuck Swindoll presents four specific actions from Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians about living among non-Christians. Understand that non-Christians are watching and listening, so determine to live wisely in sensitivity and grace toward others.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Ever notice how believers tend to gravitate toward two extremes?
0:11.0	We either create an exclusive bubble and refuse to socialize with anyone who's not a part of the Christian club,
0:18.0	or we become Secret Service saints and only God knows what we truly believe.
0:22.6	Well, there's a far better way. And today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall helps us understand
0:28.6	how to strike the right balance. From our study in First Thessalonians called Contagious Christianity,
0:34.6	Chuck titled today's message, behaving properly Properly Toward Outsiders.
0:39.8	And we begin by reading the passage together.
0:49.8	According to Paul, diligence on the job is an important factor in making Christianity attractive
0:56.4	to non-Christians. But what do we do when our jobs get us down? Those days when our workload
1:05.3	only gets heavier and our bosses seem to get even more exasperating.
1:12.4	The apostle helps us adjust our attitude with his words to the Colossian believers.
1:18.9	As he writes,
1:20.0	Whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men.
1:27.7	Colossians 3.23.
1:30.8	Walter Wangerin offers us insight into these words from Paul.
1:35.4	If a carpenter crafts a chair for a rich stranger, he may do it well.
1:41.3	But if he crafts it for his daughter, he will do it lovingly. Much, much is different
1:48.5	between the first and the second crafting. And much is different between the two chairs, too,
1:55.9	though only he and his daughter may see the difference.
2:07.2	Christians who do their work for the Lord do it not only for the pay, but for the gleam in Christ's eyes when we present it to him.
2:10.1	Paul talks about this behavior in the passage we're looking at today.
2:15.2	Turn with me to 1st Thessalonalonians 4 verses 9 through 12. Listen to what Paul says about our
	...

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