What About the Young People?
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1Peter 5:5-7)
THE ELDERS WERE TO FEED THE FLOCK OF GOD and to be diligent about it. They were to maintain an humble attitude as they did their work among the flock, not lording it over those they were feeding. With the same humble attitude as their elders, the younger people were to submit themselves unto the elder. Not “elders,” but unto the “elder,” an elder group, the older men. This is broader than the official elders.
AND THEN HE TELLS ALL OF THEM TO BE SUBJECT TO ONE ANOTHER. It may go against the grain. Nothing is more amusing than to listen to a four-year-old talking back to his/her brother or sister that’s 2-3 years older: “You’re not my boss!” The older one must decide to walk away or get a stick. It starts early, huh?
ATTITUDE IS THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING WE DO IN SERVING THE LORD. It always begins with our attitude. Always! Be subject one to another. On a church workday, an older and younger man are working together and there’s a discussion on whether to saw up to the line on the board or to saw the line out of the board. One will have to submit to the other. Nobody said it would be easy. Just do it.
IN THE KITCHEN, THE WOMEN ARE CLEANING AND REARRANGING THE KITCHEN and somebody’s ideas are… going to prevail. Good practice time in being subject to one another. Much of the Christian life centers around somebody being in charge and the other person not being in charge. It’s that way Monday-Friday on the job. Peter does not tell them which one is in charge except that the younger should submit to the older.
However, when we are giving out food on food day at the Community Center, I go in and bark it out: “OK, somebody tell me what to do!” It doesn’t bother me. I don’t know what needs to be done so I’m there to help. I’m not there to be the boss. I don’t want to be the boss. I don’t need to be the boss to be somebody. I don’t need to be the boss to have self-respect. I serve the Lord Christ, and somebody will know what I ought to be doing.
I FOUND McGEE'S TAKE ON TODAY'S TEXT AND FOUND IT QUITE GOOD. See what you think. "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder." This has been reversed in our day—today the elder is supposed to submit to the younger. Young people are the ones who are protesting, and they are the ones who want to discard the establishment. However, the Christian young person needs to realize that the Word of God says, "Ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder." After all, your father, if you have a good or a godly father, has a lot of sense and maybe more sense than you have.
A FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME, "I was ashamed of my dad at the time when I went away to college. Although he had made good money, and he was an executive, I was ashamed of him. He had such old-fashioned ideas; he was a real square. When I finished college and got out in the business world, I didn't see him for a couple of years. When I did see him again, I was absolutely amazed to see how much he'd learned in just six years!" A lot of young people find out, after they themselves have been out in the school of hard knocks for a while, that their dads have learned a great deal.
"Yea, all of you be subject one to another." In other words, believers should not insist on having their way over others. "And be clothed with humility." Actually, we are to be armed with it; that is the picture that is given here.
"For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble." Peter has talked a great deal about humility and about grace. A proud person will not be able to experience the grace of God. It is only when you and I come in humility that we will be able to grow the grace of God.
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." In view of the coming of Christ, humility should be the attitude of the child of God. Christ is the one who will establish justice and make things right when He comes. You cannot straighten out this world, although you may think you can. Suffering produces humility and patience.” (McGee)
WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO GET TIRED OF BEING RUBBED THE WRONG WAY. We may develop a great deal of care and anxiety as we bump heads with people. What’s the solution for the Christian? Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1Peter 5:5-7)
TELL THE LORD ABOUT IT. A few times in my life I have told a cantankerous person: “I’m going to tell the Lord on you! I’m going to tell God what you are saying to me. Do you believe in God? Do you believe He hears the prayers of His children? Well, I’m a child of God and I’m going to tell the Lord on you and you’ll just have to take it up with Him.” Don’t do this to be smarty pants. You only do this if you are dead serious about it.
A BIG PHRAE IN THE BIBLE IS: “due time.” In God’s time. Christ died in “due time” and God answers prayer in “due time.” So, just keep on praying and keep on waiting. Someone has pointed out that God grows a mushroom or mold in 3-4 days. I takes Him 20-30 years to grow a sturdy Oak tree.
Read Through the Bible in a Year
APRIL 26, 2018 – THURSDAY
A.M. 2Samuel 15-16 P.M. Luke 20:27-47
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
Good Memory Verse:
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1John 5:14-15)
Song for Today:
The Lord of Sea and Sky (3:47) – (National Youth Choir of Scotland)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcL9S5a3weU
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