1 Peter 5:4-6 –
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Humble yourselves
Are you humble? Can anyone answer yes to that question without instantly making it untrue? I think of my Grandma who was probably the smartest person I’ve ever known. She was humble. I imagine her answer to that question might be some wonderful quip that would surely show her as humble without actually saying it. What exactly does it mean to be humble?
Definition of HUMBLE
2
: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of
deference or submission <a
humble apology>
b: not costly or luxurious <a humble contraption>
Humble does not mean self-deprecating
Even though one might be humble, that doesn’t mean they are honest about the achievements in their lives. The problem comes when you say you’re better than someone or take credit for something you didn’t actually do. For those of us who are Christians this comes down to giving God the Glory for the things that happen in our lives. It reminds me of the study of David were doing with my women’s group. David didn’t have much to do with being picked to be the King of Israel. He was out minding the sheep when the Lord selected him and had him anointed. Even after he was anointed, he didn’t become king right away. He first did an “internship” as a musician in the King’s Palace.
God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble
God knows that He is the source of all the good that comes in my life, but too often I try to take all the credit for myself. But all good things come from God. James 1:17 reads, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” So anything that is going well in my life, all the blessings I have are from the Lord. He is the creator of my blessings. When I try to take the credit for the things in my life, I’m missing the opportunity to glorify God. To point to Him as the source of my blessings. I try to pretend that I am more than I am. Could I have done any of the things I have done without the brain He gave me? Could I be a blessing to others without the soul He created for me? No. I don’t have much to do with the successes of my life. God is the source of all of it.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
So if we are to be lifted up to a high position in the society, education or career, it will be by the grace of God. He will be the one lifting you and I up with His mighty hand. We must give Him the glory, allowing Him to be revealed in all we do.
So I’ll ask again, are you humble?
God is... 