Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:
Be submissive to those who are older. All of you, cloth
yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes
the proud but gives grace to the humble."
-- 1 Peter 5:5

Reflection:

In my ministry I discovered that I loved to do one very
special thing. I loved to work with our senior citizens.
What an honor and privilage it was for me to be able
not only to give but to receive so much. These folks
were what I called my warm fuzzies of my ministry.
They were amazing people. They were my source
of wisdom. Whenever I had a problem or a need within
the church I always consulted the older and wiser
members of my congregation. If I ever needed a friend
I could always count on the older members to be there
for me. There is no way I could ever give as much as
I received from them. There is a reason that in todays
verse there is a discussion of submission to the older
and grace to the humble. You see that is where I learned
real humility, I learned to be humble from my senior friends,
and family.

Thought:
The word "submissive" is often positive or negative based on its
relationship to us personally. It's nice having someone serve us
submissively, but serving someone else submissively is hard work.
Unfortunately, we are selfish way too much of the time. But God is
at work in direct opposition to anyone who is full of pride and
unwilling to serve others, especially if those "others" are older
believers! Whether it's easy to wear the clothes our Father demands
or not, we are to intentionally clothe ourselves with humility!

Prayer:

Lord please keep me humble. Give me the strength to serve and
to do it with a good heart. Thank You for the wisdom of seniors
and the love that I may share with them. THANK YOU GOD FOR
BEING GOD. In Jesus name amen.

Quote:

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
Pacifist Abolitionist, Feminist, Poet (1825-1911)

"I ask no monument, proud and high, to arrest the
gaze of passersby. All that my yearning spirit craves,
is bury me not in a land of slaves."