Humble Yourselves
To the
elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s
sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is
under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are
willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to
serve; not lording
it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
In
the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,
because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under
God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because
he cares for you.
Be
alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know
that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind
of sufferings.
1 Peter
5:1-9
We all get wake-up calls
at certain points in our lives. How we react can set the tones for the rest of
our lives. We cannot solve all of our problems, but Jesus Christ can.
The apostle Peter offers
a different kind of wake-up call – one that is unpleasant and is necessary. He
alerts us to a spiritual battle we are engaged in with a powerful enemy.
Only when we are aware
of the danger that faces us every day will we consciously seek the help we
need. And only if we are on the alert will we lean on the strength of our Lord,
who is greater than our spiritual enemy.
The
Christian life is a battleground.
Our Daily Bread –