Peter writes "all of you, clothe yourselves with humility...for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" 1 Peter 5:5 - 7. Peter expressed 4 very important thoughts. And he combined them for a reason. Let us look at each:
- "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another." Peter's expression "clothe yourselves with humility" referred to a white scarf or apron typically worn by servants. Did you get that? We are called to be servants, not celebrities! "All" let us know we all stand on an equal footing before the cross.
- "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Those who are self-centered find themselves at odds with God, while the humble enjoy His blessings.
- "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time." The phrase "The mighty hand of God" is used in Scripture to symbolize 2 things: God's hand of discipline, and His hand of deliverance. And you need both. So submit to His discipline today and you will experience His deliverance.
- "Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." Peter addresses the core issue - worry that if we do not look out for ourselves nobody else will. But if we really believe that God "cares for us," we need not worry about serving our own interests. We can focus on the needs of others, confident that God will spare nothing when it comes to meeting our needs.
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