Live in Humility With One Another
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
What do you think of when you think of humility? Maybe humiliation? I don’t know about you but that’s not something that I’m especially fond of. And yet, we’re called to put on, wear or clothe ourselves with humility? While we can certainly learn humility from humiliation, maybe humility is much more, and much better, than humiliation? Maybe it’s actually really good for us!
Peter’s next “one another” command to us as believers is a repeat of a prominent command throughout Scripture as taught and modeled by Christ and shared by several of the writers of the New Testament under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit. He tells us to “…Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…” (1 Peter 5:5).
If you want to be on God’s Team Christ has made a way but we can only do so as we walk, clothe ourselves and grow in humility. False humility (Pride) means we willingly choose to be on the other team and God opposes us. Do you really want God as an opponent?
Paul tells us in Philippians that this should be our attitude toward others, the same as in Christ, that of humility toward others, placing them above ourselves. He then describes what Christ gave up (His Heavenly lifestyle and glory to become a man…fully God and fully man…and then give up that physical life on the Cross). This is Humility. This is Love. (Philippians 2:3-8)
Remember that humility is not thinking less of yourself or not of yourself at all…it is being confident and content in who you are in Christ so you can willingly choose to place others above you (John 13:3-5; Romans 12:3).
This is what Peter (and Paul) and most of all Christ, is calling us to do in order to love others and show the world what His Love really is like.
How are you doing when it comes to clothing yourself in humility in order to love others as Christ loved you? As a Christian what is your life saying to others about His Love? If you’re not a Christian you can’t truly know this kind of humility and love.
I don’t know about you but for the longest time, I had to admit that humility was (and at times still is) maybe the most difficult of traits associated with Love. I also have to confess that I’ve not always “loved” in the attire of, or clothed in, humility. However, as I’ve grown in Christ, I’ve found that humility is absolutely necessary for me to love God first and foremost and then others, and it carries with it the most beautiful blessings of love as I continue to put on humility and grow in Love just as my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, did so that others can see and know Him and His Love.
You will find the same if you’re willing and courageous enough to be obedient to Him and walk in humility…it is so powerful and absolutely life-changing…but it does require that we die to our self…just as Jesus taught us to and did for us!
Food for Thought…How have you thought about humility in your life? Has the way you thought about it endeared you to be obedient in clothing yourself in it…or made you reluctant to wear this incredible trait or maybe even completely resistant to do so and therefore disobedient to God and His Word? What do you need to do be put on humility at all times?
Action Steps…
- Spend time with God and in His Word, prayer and listening every day…begin with the Scriptures in this message.
- Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
- Take time to consider your experiences in humility and whether you’ve associated it with humiliation. How has that impacted your willingness to take on humility?
- What do you need to do…or give up doing…in order to choose humility in all things…and have God on your side rather than against you? Start doing it today…lay down any and all pride!
Once again we can be in awe of God’s Word and what it calls us to be and do…and yet because of our life experiences, our relationships and our natural flesh we find ourselves struggling to do what He commands us to do in loving others. Being to change that today and be blessed.
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