Scripture:
And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another [tie on the servant's apron], for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD [the disdainful, the presumptuous, and He defeats them] BUT HE GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 1 Peter 5:5b AMP
Talk about getting one's attention with all the caps! Peter's message is a dire warning to us: God resists the proud and he defeats them. Imagine playing football or any game with an opposing side. The only difference this time is that God is your opponent. Every which way you pass, he is there, he tackles you and takes the ball away before you get the chance to kick it. Before you decide on a move, he's countered it and taken the ball away. You've not been able to move from the center point. Are you asking why God would do that? For two reasons: first, as our scripture makes it amply clear, God dislikes proud people; people who are puffed up and full of themselves, people who act like they own the world and everyone when in fact, they're 'perching' on God's property. The second reason is simple; because God loves us. When he tackles us, he does it lovingly and it is an opportunity to 'wake up' and return to our senses. If God doesn't tackle us, the devil will. And when the devil does, we will be utterly ruined, completely destroyed, he will happily see us down since he has no love for us. That's why we all need that apron of humility, of servanthood. We all need to have it on as part of our daily apparel. Not only when it seems convenient but always. It will keep us from being tackled unnecessarily. May we learn and make amends in those areas of our lives we seem to have removed the apron of servanthood and humility. And if we don't own this piece of clothing at all, let's ask God to provide us with it. He can and will.
Let's pray: Have mercy on us Father and prompt us each time we're moving out of line. Give us the grace to walk humbly. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen
