Humility and Hope (1 Peter 5:5-7)

1 Peter 5:5-7

How humble are you?

I know, it sounds like an impossible question to answer soberly - wouldn't any positive self-asseesment of your humility be grounds for invalidating the results? If you say, "I'm great at being humble!", you must not be.

So, let's do a humility quiz based on Peter's life.

Have you ever:
1. Cried out to Jesus, “Depart from me; I am an unclean man!” (Plus 3 points)
2. Became angry at Jesus for doing something different than what you wanted him to do. Required Jesus to tell you, “Get behind me Satan.” (Minus 10 points)
3. When Jesus offers to wash your feet, initially resist, then jump on board. (Minus 1 point - not a great start, but way to switch quckly)
4. Give up everything to follow Jesus (Plus 10 points - but you lose a couple points if you brag about it, like Peter did)
5. Try to angle to become the greatest in the coming kingdom (Minus 5 points)
6. Cockily announced that even if every one leaves Jesus, “I will never abandon you!” (Minus 3 points)
7. Had your pride wounded when your sin was brought up during your restoration (Minus 2 points)
8. Scared of what people from Jerusalem would think of you, so you stop eating with Gentiles in Galatia (minus 3 points)
9. When threatened to stop preaching the gospel by religious leaders, insist that you must obey God rather than men (Plus 5 points)

So, how did you do?

I get it. Peter's life experiences were unique. But it's not hard to see how we could fall into the same pride traps that Peter did. And I'm sure grateful that God doesn't score our lives based on our behavior, but rather by His grace.

My point is that pride and humility are tricky issues to figure out about our own souls. Even great leaders like Peter struggle with them. And yet humility is essential to the Christian life.

This week at Grace, we'll be talking about 1 Peter 5:5-7, about the value of humility in the Christian life. Peter's words about the importance and value of humility are hard won and insightful for all of us who desire to walk humbly with our God today (Micah 6:8).

Look forward to seeing you Sunday at Grace, either in person or online!

In Christ,
Pastor Bob

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Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

-1 Peter 5:5-7