October 24
“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.’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith,” 1 Peter 5:5-9.
The apostle calls upon young people to do something that they, by nature, often would rather not do. He asks young people to respect and obey the leaders in the church when they teach the Word of God.
Next, the apostle calls upon all Christians to be considerate of the feelings of others, and to treat one another with kindness and courtesy. To fulfill this request, one must have a spirit of humility. One should not think more highly of one’s self than one ought to think. Humility will show itself by outward appearance – like pride, it can be seen by others; so we should be clothed with humility.
Both the apostle Peter and James 4:6 quote, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” which is a reference to Proverbs 3:34. People’s pride destroys their relationship with others, and it hinders joyful living and working together. Sinful pride is a characteristic of which we should not be proud! “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” Christians will humbly submit themselves under the mighty hand of God, and God’s blessing will rest upon them.
Many homes have a plaque fastened to a wall that reads, “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” God cares! He really does! Scripture gives us many assurances that He really does care for His children, and He cares also for those who, in a different sense, don’t care about Him! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust,” Matthew 5:45. Cast your cares on Him. Don’t worry! Jesus said, “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you,” Matthew 6:31-33.
Christians must be on their guard constantly. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Vigilance is the price of liberty! To be free from the devil’s power, we must be wide awake spiritually and be armed with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, with which we can put to flight the roaring lion, the devil. We resist him by continually confessing our saving faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. James wrote, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you,” James 4:7. Someone said, “When Christians start singing, it puts the devil on a run!” The apostle wrote to the Ephesians, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,” Ephesians 6:11. Luther wrote:
“Tho’ devils all the world should fill,
All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill,
They shall not overpow’r us.
This world’s prince may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none,
He’s judged, the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.” Amen.