God's Grace to the Humble

Humility is the key to successful relationships. In a world gone mad with pride, it is easy to see why so many relationships fall apart over time. Humility is tough to comprehend and even tougher to fully absorb into our lives. The apostle Peter writes, "[c]lothe yourself with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore, under God's mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:5-6 NIV).

Peter's words here sharply contradict the focus on self, and the attitude of what's in it for me. The extortation to be "clothed in humility" is not a simple suggestion, it is a command. Being clothed in such a way begins and ends with your attitude. Here are some comparisons to think about:

1. Do you root for the success of others, or do you cheer (even secretely) for their failure?


2. Is it ok if others are right sometimes, or do you have to prove something everytime?


3. Are you ok when plans change, or do you get frustrated that YOUR plan is now not working?

How you answered these questions may shed some light on whether you are suffereing from a prideful attitude. Pride kills relationships. When you think about it, how often do people want to truly help a prideful person? And Peter tells us that "God opposes the proud." When we allow pride to stay in our hearts, the resistance of God begins.

Humility is: thinking of others better than yourself, placing others interests before our own, not thinking to highly of YOUR accomplishments, and, most importantly, in our relationsjip with our Heavenly Father, having the attitude like Jesus, when He said, "yet not my will, but that yours be done." (Luke 22: 42 NIV).

This does not mean that to be humble you must be a doormat. Quite the contrary, in fact. Truly, it is about allowing the Holy Spirit that lives in you to truly live through you. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to rid you of instances and footholds of pride. It is about having a heart like David when he said, "[s]earch me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139: 23-24 NIV).

When we are truly clothed in humility, people take notice and God ends his resistance.

Stay Strong.