“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
We live in a culture that is saturated with the excesses of self-promotion. You don’t have to look far to find people who are more than willing to tell you that they are the best athlete, the best actor, the best politician, or the best ____________ on the planet. Publicity agents are hired for the express purpose of keeping their client’s face and name before the public as much as possible. Self-promoters have honed their craft because they have learned that the pinnacle of success in any profession is a precarious perch. They know that there is always a self-promoting newcomer seeking to replace them.
Do you find it difficult to be all you can be for God without surrendering to the desire for self-promotion? When I am tempted to exalt myself, I need to remember verses like those listed above. Peter calls me to humility instead of self-promotion. “But, Peter, you don’t know what it is like in my job. If I humble myself, I will get run over! I will never get ahead!” Peter tackles that kind of anxiety by reminding me of three key facts about God. First, He has the power to protect me. I must remember that my security is grounded in God’s “mighty hand” (i.e. His strength and abilities), not my own. Second, He knows when the time is right for me. He will exalt me “at the proper time.” And, third, He wants what is best for me. I can trust His decisions because He “cares for” me.
May God help us all to learn to trust in Him instead of ourselves. May we seek to promote Him through our words and actions instead of promoting ourselves. May we join Paul in proclaiming: “…to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21)
God loves you!
Mike
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