May 2026: Live Quietly
Happy May! I hope the April showers that we’ve experienced over the past few weeks lead to May flowers – whether that is literal or figurative in your lives this month.
Last month I introduced Dr. Ryan Tinetti’s book The Quiet Ambition. As a reminder, Tinetti is suggesting that 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 is a framework for how we can live lives of meaning without the selfishness that ambition implies to our ears (and the ancient ones as well). This month we are looking at the first section: “Live Quietly.”
Tinetti relates many sources of “noise” in our world. He quotes Nate Silver to define the word: “The signal is the truth. Whatever distracts us from the signal is noise.” Noise can mean the actual sounds ubiquitous in our world today. “Noise” is things that constantly drag our attention to the next fad or 6-second video. “Noise” is the discontent in our hearts that desire things that aren’t Godly. “Noise” is the lies that Satan speaks in our heads that lead us away from God’s truth for us and for his creation. Noise distracts us from Jesus and his will for us – the Truth.
In his book, Tinetti gives examples of people who have lived meaningful, but quiet, lives. He suggests Rosa Parks, Barry Sanders, Rich Mullins, and even the Hobbits from Lord of the Rings as examples of characters that demonstrate how people can live lives that are satisfying and meaningful, and in a God-pleasing way. I won’t rehash all these stories, but you can find them in his book or by reading their stories yourselves.
Tinetti ends each section with a concise summary of how we can exemplify each of these quietly ambitious qualities and remove the noise in our lives. That could mean journaling as you read through scripture. There are plenty of resources for daily devotions or scripture readings that we have available right at our fingertips. Let me know if you need any helping finding one – either physical or digital.
He also suggests quieting discontentment by living below your means. Living below our means allows more generosity and stifles selfishness. Budget to live on a percentage of your income so that you can give generously to charitable causes. Many causes, ranging from community causes to international missions, can be benefactors of generosity.
Finally, he suggests limiting time with devices – from smartphones to televisions – to quiet the mental stimulation that those things not only satisfy but surreptitiously and increasingly demand. This can mean a “screen-free Sunday” or downgrading to a more basic phone.
Each of these suggestions (there are many other ways to accomplish quietness in our lives) can help us live a life that is meaningful, but quiet. The noise will diminish that distracts us from the Truth, Jesus Christ, and the lives that God lays before us. Our vocations – the places where God calls us to work and acts through us – will be the places we spend our time, energy, and attention.