CWW Week 12 - Day 1 - Humility
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Humility
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5 [NKJV]
“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
This week the focus is on Humility.
The word humility conjures up several other words when we apply it to our lives.
Submission
Selflessness
Surrender
Service
Pride
Meekness
Grace
We will cover these in more detail each day this week but on day 1 we focus on:-
Submission
Who do you submit to in your daily life and how does it make you feel to be in submission to another human being? I know your minds are racing now as you come to terms with even the notion that you are in submission to another. Some feel that they are submitted to their employer as a slave is bonded to his master. Many are in submission to a bank or a money lender while others to government and bureaucracy.
The word submission can have more than one connotation. Lets go back to how we interpret God’s laws. Remember how we talked about the frame you place them in. Many see Gods’ laws as a form of entrapment that require punishment, enforcement and condemnation. These are Imperial Laws or governing statutes, [see Dr Tim Jennings book “The God Shaped Heart.”] but they may also be seen as governing principles of design. Which frame places a loving God in a better light when we allow for the freedom to choose?
Submission can come with a sense of entrapment and servitude leading to feelings of slavery in chains, or it can be healthy and constructive in building loving and fruitful relationships.
I have often found that the best way to lead a crew or team is in servant leadership ensuring that I meet others needs and objectives. Jesus even washed the feet of His disciples. Read John 13 1-17.
What about the sense of fulfilment you feel when you submit to someone you love, to your spouse for example?
I used to dislike the term “happy wife happy life,” but now I can see great merit in this. If my wife is happy then that means I am being a good and loving husband. If she is not then I need to find out why?
What does the Bible say about this concept? I am about to get very controversial in todays woke way of viewing things, but stay with me.
Lets look at Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Saviour of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
It’s always good to read the scriptures for context so now that I have the hair standing up on the back of your neck lets read a little further on to verse 25.
Ephesians 5:25 reads
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,” Loosely translated this means that you love your wife and be ready to die for her; that you treat her as Christ treated the church, with respect, honour and dignity; that you cherish her.
Can you see how this might not raise eyebrows if this verse came before the others? When a man submits to his wife in this way, it automatically engenders the same submission form his wife thus fulfilling the sentiment of todays verse.
I know of a few Christian men who conveniently leave out verse 25. To do this is a clear example of narcissistic behaviour. A cherished wife will happily trust and love her husband in this role. There are a million ways we get this wrong in the modern world.
When we are submissive to one another in service of one another then it all just fits beautifully into place. We are all of equal importance in the eyes of God and it’s only our tribal nature and pride that elevate some over others.
Respecting elders and the wisdom of age is a vital component to character development. You want to learn? Then go to someone who has experienced what you want to learn about? If you are submissive in respect and he is submissive out of experience then everyone wins and pride is diminished.
More important however is our submission to Gods’ will for our lives that brings on the most fruit. When we love and trust He who designed and planned our lives then our trust and submission is in good hands. Every day submitted to God is a good day no matter how hard it may seem. Why? Because even when the going gets tough the tough get going and the character is strengthened and the wisdom that comes, Gods’ infinite wisdom, becomes the cornerstone for a fruitful life.
So how do we submit to God? Just let go of the pride and expectations of others and let God.
Questions
- Does your service of others feel forced and contrived or uplifting and caring?
- Does your life feel more fulfilling when your love is centred on others and not self?
- What do you need to let go of and submit to God today?
Prayer.
Dear Lord, Papa God.
I need to let go of so many things that bind me in a sense of slavery and not service. Help me Papa to overcome this dread of daily life and replace it with a sense of love and service of others. Help me God to replace pride with humility in respect of others. Guide me today as I seek an opportunity to serve someone who needs me, is my prayer in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Graham Hood
