Dressing Up

Peter's first epistle is primarily about our "living hope" because of Christ's resurrection in the face of the certainty of trials. To me, that puts this text in a slightly different light.

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)

It's an interesting phrase -- "Clothe yourselves with humility." That should be your uniform, your outward garb at all times ... despite the fact that you'll be facing persecution (at least Jesus's version -- Matt 5:10-12). Humility is the clothing we believers are supposed to be known for.

How does this work? In the face of certain tribulation, how are we supposed to remain humble? We aren't bowing to the trials or those giving them. We are humbling ourselves "under the mighty hand of God." That's different. Earlier Peter told them to "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution" (1 Peter 2:13). Did you note why we are supposed to do it? "For the Lord's sake," not for the sake of the institutions. It's the same here. Our humility is under the hand of God. He promises to exalt you at the proper time.

So we can cast on Him all our concerns and anxieties. All our trials and troubles, all our worries and questions, all our fears and hopes -- we can cast them all on Him. Why? Because He cares for you. And while it is wonderful to have other people care for you and expected that you will take care of yourself, how much better is it to have God caring for you? If that's not enough, I don't know what is.