ByIn the last release of the Study Scripture sets of articles (about 1 Peter 5:1-4), I wrote on the advice Apostle Peter wrote to shepherds of God’s flock – pastors. Today, there’s a little shift because Peter redirected his focus on how God’s sheep in God’s house should be behaving after addressing pastors. Submission and humility go hand-in-hand in Christ. Let’s see the beautiful work the Apostle Peter wrote about in 1 Peter 5:5-7.
Verse 5
[5] Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV)
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
What comes to mind when you first read this Bible verse? Well, I don’t know. But for me, it boils down to submission and humility. Why? Because the scripture mentions both.
In the first part of the scripture, Peter admonishes the younger people to submit to the elders. That part of the verse isn’t speaking about the spiritually mature and immature in the Lord. Instead, it is about those who are of age and the young generation in the body of Christ. Now, it’s understandable that because knowledge has increased in this generation, the young generation may be more exposed to much more information and light from scripture. So, a twenty-four-year-old preacher may be more knowledgeable in the scriptures than a sixty-year-old man. But God’s word says the younger person should submit to the elder. Why? Because such a grown man may have experiences in life the young generation doesn’t have. So, for the young to listen to them, they could avoid certain mistakes. However, no young person can obey this scripture if one doesn’t clothe oneself in humility. Here’s how submission and humility go hand-in-hand.
God resists the proud but gives grace (shows favour) to the humble. In the context of that scripture, that means a young believer will receive God’s favour through the elderly if he decides to clothe himself in humility rather than being proud in his ways. Learn from this, dear reader. You’ll reduce how many mistakes you may commit in future if you listen to those ahead of you in age.
Verse 6
[6] “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,”
1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV)
1 Peter 5:6 is one of the most popular verses among believers in Christ. It explains a simple principle that has been taught for ages, even in the Old Testament. Whoever humbles himself under God’s mighty hand will eventually be exalted by Him in due time. Just think about that. God will take care of your lifting when you humble yourself under His mighty hand. But the question is, how do you humble yourself before God? How? That is what 1 Peter 5:7 explains it to be.
You’ll reduce how many mistakes you may commit in future if you listen to those ahead of you in age.
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Verse 7
[7] casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)
Verse 7 starts with a present continuous tense of the word “cast” and is the continuation of what the Apostle started saying in 1 Peter 5:6. When you continually cast all that is making you anxious upon God, He interprets it as you humbling yourself under His mighty hand.
See, we live in a world where many people are driven by all sorts of desires, some good, others evil. Ambitious people desire things and work toward getting them for selfish reasons. But people of divine vision are different. Their desires are inspired by God, and, honestly speaking, some take years for God Himself to fulfil them. But here’s the thing. As a visionary person, the promises of God can bother your mind when you keep thinking about when God is going to fulfil them. In those times, if you don’t take care, the devil can make you forge shortcuts to getting them, which will leave you with consequences. Don’t cut corners to fulfil what God promised you. Don’t! He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Waiting on God to fulfil the dreams He has put in your heart is really a test. In those seasons, the best advice I can give you is to keep praying about what God has said as you focus on what you can do now. In His own time, He will lift you up. Don’t lose hope in Him.
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