Living on the B Side

by Kenny Westmoreland

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you” (I Thessalonians 4:11).

In my younger years, I enjoyed playing 45 singles. For those unaware or too young to remember, a 45 is a small vinyl record containing one song on each side. The record played at a speed of forty-five revolutions per minute (45 RPM). The song receiving the most airplay (the hit) was known as the A side, while the song on the reverse (the B side) tended to be a lesser-known song. On rare occasions, the B side eclipsed the A side and became the hit song.

Many live what could be considered a “B-side existence,” and in all honesty, choose to live in this fashion. These individuals hold regular employment, attend church regularly, save money, borrow money, pay their bills, go on vacations, raise families, and, in the words of Paul, seek to live “in all good conscience” (Acts 23:1) with the world around them. The vast majority of this group do not seek fame, glory, power, or wealth. They are happy and content to live in such a fashion.

In Mark 10, Jesus met a rich young ruler who asked what he must do “to inherit eternal life” (Mark 10:17). The young man displayed validity in his outward life, but an inward love of wealth became his eternal downfall (Mark 10:21-22). For this man, leaving his wealth to embrace “B side living” proved to be too much.

A great deal can be said for living modestly and not letting the pursuit of wealth be one’s sole motivating factor, for wealth is often used to manipulate and control others rather than blessing them. Sadly, wealth or the temptations of wealth will lead to many an eternal downfall (I Timothy 6:10).