Listen:
In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proudbut gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. (1 Peter 5:5-6)
Reflect:
Walk humbly.
Humble. Old French, from Latin humilis ‘low, lowly’, from humus, ‘ground’.
I decided to read all chapters of 1 Peter, a letter Peter wrote, to God’s chosen people living as foreigners in various lands. As someone in the same situation, I found it ironic at first, the connection of humble to the ground. This is not my land, is it? And as a foreigner, I’ve eaten a lot, I mean a lot, of humble pie. Not speaking the language at first, not understanding local culture, even not knowing how to switch off a light at one, low, point.
Yet the opposite of humility is arrogance. And here Peter exhorts various groups of foreigners to avoid it: men, women, slaves, husbands, wives, elders, and here, the younger. There is a lot of forewarning about facing trials, about suffering, probably injustices, and hardship. He will lift you up, he writes. He cares for you.
All along, Peter reminds us, Christ himself has walked through human suffering. All along, Peter reminds us, as foreigners in this world itself, we need to humble ourselves to others, for doing so is to humble ourselves to God himself.
For we march to a different tune, a Kingdom come, one that cares, shares, loves. Have you the gift of helping others, he wrote earlier. Accept the authority of the elders, relate to one another, he writes here. He is right. Over the years, elders have taught me to live well here, to have faith, to persevere, even how to make jam (I mean confiture!) Touch the ground, for one day, you will touch the Sky.
Prayer of Response:
Father, help me to remember that to be humble is to be closer to the ground, to see clearly what is happening in this land, that I may relate and share with others. Help me to honour my elders, to keep learning goodness and grace, that the kingdom of Heaven may come to this place, for the days you have planted me here. Amen.
Questions to Ponder:
- I feel the need to plant something, here in the foreign soil. Will you plant something with me? What would you like to plant today, a real seed, or a seed idea, a gift of helping others, a smile, a kindness?
- Is there a humble pie memory that you would like to give to God today? A worry, an insecurity, a sadness, an anger at injustice. Give it to Him, gently, that He may lift you up in honour.
—Submitted by Kae Ting Trouilloud
Kae has been living in many foreign lands for almost three quarters of her life, and is grateful for God’s grace in all places. She is grateful to meet other pilgrims in her journeys, and has found home where love dwells, with her family in Lyon, France, her spiritual home in Trinity Church Lyon, and a wonderful international sisterhood all over the world through Lifesprings. She continues to explore how she can help others through learning and teaching, so that others may grow and blossom, and make the world a wiser more beautiful place.