Read 1 Peter 5:5–7
Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5
Younger believers should submit to the older believers, not only out
of respect for their age, but also out of respect for their spiritual maturity. Not every “senior saint” is a mature Christian of course, because
quantity of years is no guarantee of quality of experience. This is not
to suggest that the older church members should run the church and
never listen to the younger members. Too often there is a generational
war in the church, with the older people resisting change, and the
younger people resisting the older people.
The solution is twofold: (1) All believers, young and old, should
submit to one other; and (2) all should submit to God. “Clothe
yourselves with humility” is the answer to the problem. Just as Jesus
laid aside His outer garments and put on a towel to become a servant (John 13:1–17), so each of us should have a servant’s attitude
and minister to one other. True humility is described in Philippians
2:1–11. Humility is not demeaning ourselves and thinking poorly of
ourselves. It is simply not thinking of ourselves at all!
Something to Ponder
In what ways do you clothe yourself with humility? How could you
improve in this area?