1 Peter 5:5 – Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

THEME OF THE DAY: ARE WE DRESSED PROPERLY? It was cool this morning. The taste of fall was in the air. This was not a day to put on a short sleeved polo shirt and head off to work. No, there was a nip in the air sending forth the message, “Good morning, New England. I am back.” As I clothed myself properly for the day, the words in today’s scripture came to mind. It led to a pondering and a question. First, the pondering – “I am properly clothed physically for the elements I will face today. No chance I will be victimized by today’s temperature.” Then, the question, “Am I properly clothed spiritually with what is necessary for me to walk and grow in the Lord Jesus today?” Let me encourage all of us to ask that question. Self-examination is critical to healthy spiritual lives. It is not only a command, but a vital discipline to keep one’s eyes on Jesus, not the world (2 Corinthians 13:5).

In today’s scripture, the Apostle Peter is exhorting us “to dress properly” if we want to grow in the Lord Jesus. And Peter wasn’t the only apostle addressing our “spiritual wardrobe.” The Apostle Paul would use the words “put on” fourteen times in his letters. These words mean “to clothe, to dress, to wear”. So in a spiritual sense, both Peter and Paul are emphasizing our need to “put on spiritual clothes” to ensure a healthy and holy walk with the Lord Jesus. And what is that piece of “spiritual clothing” found not only in Peter’s words but throughout the scriptures? Humility.

Humility is the first and foremost virtue in the Christian life. We enter into the Christian life through the humility of acknowledging our inability to save ourselves and then humbly throwing ourselves at the mercy of God in Christ Jesus for salvation. After conversion or new birth, humility continues to be the most important virtue to be developed in us. It is foundational to all spiritual work, spiritual growth and spiritual intimacy with the Lord. Notice what Peter says God does to those who want to hold onto pride and refuse to go through the painful process of developing the Fruit of the Spirit humility. God doesn’t just dislike pride, but He opposes those who have it. The word “oppose” is serious. It means “to be hostile against.” Think on this for a moment. Imagine God being hostile against us. Now go easy here. He cannot be our enemy for Jesus took away the wrath of God from us and healed the breach of separation that existed between us. However, if we refuse the work of the Spirit producing humility within us, God will resist us. And this means no sweet fellowship, no joy, and no experience of His love. What could be more painful than to be void of close and intimate communion with the Lord? I can think of nothing that so pains a child of God more than a loss of walking with the Lord in joy, power, and love. Oh, to have a Christian profession but a walk that is lifeless, full of dull routine of “doing” Christian things like reading the Bible and going to church but never having life-altering and real encounters with the living Christ. And the number one reason is pride shown forth in the following sinful attitudes; independence, self-sufficiency, refusal to confess being wrong, resistant to forgive others who sinned against us, spiritual arrogance when in disagreements, and spiritual superiority in relationships with other Christians. It is no wonder God opposes the proud. Pride is the ugliest thing in the world, destroying every and all relationships it gets its sharp claws on. But God . . . He loves us so much that He will not allow pride to be an entrenched “virtue” in His children. One of His greatest works He does in us is the development of humility. Yes, it hurts. Yes, it attacks our sense of “personal rights” which by the way, the Christian has none. They were surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. When it comes to this work of God, submit. We need it. We need to be clothed through and through with the piece of spiritual clothing called “humility” for without it, there will be no intimacy with the Lord Jesus and where that is absent, so is the vibrant, joyful, and purposeful Christian life.

PRAYER: “Lord, make me willing, not to be humbled, but to develop the virtue of humility.”

QUOTE: “Where there is no humility, there will be no spiritual growth.”