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
Here is the secret, Peter says, to genuinely and consistently serving others: humility. As long as you are set upon pleasing yourself, fulfilling yourself, seeking self-advancement, you will never be able to genuinely serve others.
Be clothed with humility. A wonderful and poignant way of emphasizing the need for a constant covering of our self-seeking human nature. Let humility be the attire you choose to walk in, live in each day.
Why live this self-deprecating, self-denying way of life? The reply is simple and powerful: God resists proud people, but he gives grace and help to the humble.
Those who lower themselves to serve others will find that God himself is serving them! He gives to the humble, others-oriented saints of God the forgiveness and strength and supply that they do not deserve but so desperately need.
On the other hand, those who seek to exalt and help and please themselves should realize that they are literally anti-God! They are choosing sides, and the battle will be them against God.
Which describes your condition today? Do you find God meeting your every need as you seek sincerely to meet the needs of others, or do you find yourself constantly at a loss to fulfill yourself, even though you give yourself to the effort tirelessly?
God resists the proud, but he helps those who help others.
