Strength in Weakness

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 8, 2017

By Tripp Prince

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

When I was young, I, like most kids, got in trouble with my parents for all sorts of childhood sins, most of which were rooted in a general dismissal of parental wisdom and guidance. I quickly learned that if I said my sin was “pride,” I could fast track the conversation and get to the root of my infraction. Buried in this distant memory is the realization that, even at a young age, humility was one of the primary character traits my parents desired for my life.

Interestingly, for most of human history, humility was seen as a vice, not a virtue. You would never find someone who aspired to a position of humility. Especially in the ancient world, those who were humble were those who were weak. The humble were the vulnerable members of society. Why would you aspire to such a position? Conventional wisdom said you should aspire to places of power and control!

Early followers of Jesus were so deeply transformed by his example of self-giving love that they turned the wisdom of their day on its head and made a radically subversive statement: weakness is the way.

In Peter’s day, as he wrote this letter, the churches in the region were small house churches without any cultural or political influence. And yet, quite remarkably, nowhere in this letter does he give a strategy for how to remedy this! No advice on increasing cultural sway. No six-step plan for guaranteed wealth, affluence, or success. No, he says, “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.” Let go of power. Let go of your need for control. Let go of your right to have the final word.

We are free to embrace our limitations because we are clear on whom we serve and whose we are. We live humble lives “under the mighty hand of God.” The mighty hand that led the Israelites out of their bondage and slavery in Egypt is the same mighty hand that leads and guides us today. And if we truly trust and believe that we live each day under the power and victory of God in Jesus, we are set free to be humble without fear and without anxiety.

Rest easy today in the knowledge that you are safe and secure under the mighty hand of God, and from that place of refuge and rest, cast your anxieties on the Lord, trusting that he is good and cares for you.

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