Wear Humility

1 Peter 5:5-6 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
 
WAS there a pride problem in the church among the young me? Maybe they were reluctant to obey the elders’ teachings or respect the elders’ authority. 
   Peter would know about that. There was a crisis moment in Peter’s discipleship with Jesus: Matthew 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
   Peter’s prideful attempt to denounce Jesus’ mission was very different from his first encounter with Jesus. Our Lord first revealed himself to Peter and others with an unlikely large catch of fish, Peter’s response was, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8) Do you know how this catch was possible? Yes, Jesus did it, but Peter had to believe Jesus’ instructions, submit to them and humbly act on them. “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5) To receive Jesus’ reward, Peter  put aside his fisherman’s  pride. “Because you say so.” is a humble response to God’s commands.
   Why was it that Peter was more humble to obey Jesus’ instructions early in his relationship with Jesus than he was later? John 13 also tells us Peter refused to believe Jesus warning that Peter would deny Jesus and that Jesus had permitted Satan to sift him. Why did Peter reject and oppose Jesus? Peter may have become prideful because of his favored relationship with Jesus. He seemed to put himself above Jesus’ words when Jesus said things he didn’t like.  
   Through the grief of denying Jesus, (Luke 22:62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.) Peter put aside his pride problem. When he later encountered the living Christ and received his forgiveness, Peter knew the power and blessing of humble submission before God.
   Often in the church, young men have ideas of how the church should function. They may also have learned some truths of Scripture as they grew up in the church. Young men with excitement and joy for Jesus are needed in the church. But they must mature in their faith and service to the church. Young men must submit to elders for the good order of the church, guarding their hearts against prideful assumptions that dismiss the elders’ wisdom.
   Pride divides God’s people. Submission and humility unite them.