1 Peter 5:1-14
Friday, 19 March 2021
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." -1Peter 5:5
Humility is an essential quality in the life of the Christian and a great subject to be taught repeatedly in the Church as many fall short of it. It is one of the fundamental principles of the kingdom of God. Unless one becomes humble, he cannot come to God. That is why the Beatitudes start with: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3). Only the humble can see the dead and the lost state of one's soul. Let us ponder on this further from the word of God.
The best example of humility can be read from the 13th chapter in John’s Gospel. Here we see the real and very pictorial representation of humility in the God-Man, Jesus Christ who 'rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.' (John 13:4-5) Christ Jesus our Lord and Master set us an example in the servant attitude and He instructed us to follow the same. (John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”)
Humility is a quality to be practised in all walks of life. The very opposite of humility is self-centeredness, arrogance, lack of respect for others, thinking high about oneself, disobedient etc. All the above are seen in the world around us—in the life and behaviour of the fallen man. But God's children, His chosen ones are called to be different! The extreme expression of humility is nothing but agape love. Unless a person is humble and Christ-centered, there can be no expression of love. Unfortunately, a great amount of the problem among the so-called believers arise from this one aspect—lack of humility. We need to really learn from our Master, Jesus Christ. Though God, He humbled himself for our sake as we read in Philippians 2:5-8: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Jesus taught extensively on this subject, because of the extreme importance of this one factor in a perverted world we live in. He said in Matthew 11:29: Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls. Let us learn this from the Master himself and “clothe ourselves with humility” so that we will be blessed by the Lord God and lifted up in due time for His glory. Because God's word guarantees, that in due time He will lift up the humble. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time…” (1 Peter 5:6)
Thought for the Day:
"Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all"
-Andrew Murray