Grace to the Humble

"You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." -1 Peter 5.5

God opposes the arrogant, but the opposite also true, God extends grace to the humble. The opposition God gives to the proud is far exceeded by the grace He extends to the Humble. God is just, and He will deal with injustice, but God is loving and merciful; He hates that sin exists, and He will deal with it because He is just and righteous, but the extent to which He exercises justice is far exceeded by His grace and mercy. Those who acknowledge their need of God, who submit to Him, and seek to humbly serve God and others are rewarded with grace and blessing far beyond any measure of justice God will deal out.

Exodus 20.4-6 contains this promise,"You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." See the contrast, God will pass judgment, the extent of His judgment pales in comparison to His lovingkindness.

God does not overlook humility. The Old Testament if full of stories of God's grace to the humble. David, a shepherd boy, the youngest son his father, lived with a dependence upon God. He lived a life of worshipful obedience and trust. When God rejected the arrogant Saul, He appointed the humble David to be his successor. "Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons." (1 Samuel 16.1)

He stood in faith against a giant, he trusted God to establish his throne in His time, and he sought to honor God above Himself. When he sinned and was confronted by the prophet, his attitude was one of repentance. David's humility is what granted him the distinction of a man after God's own heart.

Humility brings the grace of God.


Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!