“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

All humans naturally seek self-gratification. We come into this world with a selfish nature. Infants cry because they have a need to be met, it doesn’t matter if it’s 3a.m or 4p.m the call for help is the same. At first it is a need, infants are obviously helpless and must be cared for. However, as they grow older, they learn from our response that they get what they want. So, it continues until we teach them how to wait and consider others.

Humility is the ability to place others before self; it is learning how to be selfless and not selfish. Our first response to humility has to be recognizing that God is the Creator of all things. 1 Peter 5:6 states “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”

On the other side of humility is pride…1 John 2:16 tells us “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” The desire to acquire knowledge and things in this world is not a bad aspiration. However, our skills, gifts and assets are all given to us by God and should be use for His glory.

If we become self-serving and praise seekers; we feel that our accomplishments are received from our own merits, and unfortunately that’s when pride has stepped in, and the EGO that can defined as (edging God Out) takes over. The bible teaches us in Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

A humble and submissive heart before God is the individual that has peace and comfort of mind, one that is thankful for the ability to walk in Christ and live according to His divine plans; an individual who seeks to always walk in the Spirit of God who leads and guides us in righteousness.

Be on guard…we must constantly check ourselves; Satan is subtle and seeking to stroke our egos and separate us from God at all costs. “At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is our greatest enemy and humility is our greatest friend.” ~ John Stott.

It is imperative that we pray without ceasing, meditate and immerse ourselves in the word, continuing in fellowship with other brothers and sister in Christ, encouraging, admonishing, uplifting, and comforting one another in the Lord.

My friends, when we honor and exalt God, it leads us to esteeming others and being confident in God’s love for us all and thus, we have no problem sharing and acknowledging what God is doing in the life of our brothers and sisters for His glory. David wrote an exaltation to God in 1 Chronicles 29:11, and  may we also so say the same: “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all,”

Blessing and God’s amazing grace be yours today