Non-optional Clothing

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” - I Peter 5:5b

Amazing thing here, this "all of you" statement. It is as though Peter knew the proclivity of our hearts to eagerly seek to identify the "others" among us who are so steeped in pride that "they" simply can't see it. You know, the ones who, when you and I are in prayer, come to our mind and we think, "My goodness! Lord, if they would just forsake their pride and follow You as I am doing then...". Pride is the great leveler of us all! Jesus told the church in Laodicea that even though they thought themselves to be clothed with the finest of wares they were actually naked. You see, when we accept spiritual pride in our lives we think ourselves to be clothed with all manner of goodness. We think of our knowledge (it puffs up - I Corinthians 8:1), our works (they don't save - Titus 3:5), and whatever else we think garnishes our spiritual outfit. But in all actuality we are like the Emperor Who Had No Clothes. The enemy has crept in and sold us fabric that has no substance.

In the Father's eyes we are all laid bare and the only sufficient covering is humility. We are called to be clothed in it! We are also told to be clothed in Christ. Indeed, there is no irony here, for we look most like the Son when we put on humility. In fact, you can't put humility on without Him. It won't fit! The most terrifying thing is the second part of the verse. "God opposes the proud". I do not wish for the Father to stand in direct opposition to me! It would be as though you maliciously smacked a child in front of his father and then asked for a lollipop from the onlooking parent. This should have no place within the household of faith. So today dear Christian let ALL OF US put on humility which means we put on Christ and then we may really love one another.

In Christ,

-Cory