“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
‘God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.’”
Yes, all of you be submissive to one another
Both members of the congregation and leaders are to submit to one another. Can you yield to someone else? Can you concede to someone else’s argument? The Lord Jesus was, among other things, a servant,
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
“Saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done’” (Luke 22:42).
PRINCIPLE:
God expects Christians to yield to one another.
APPLICATION:
Often we expect people to cater to us but are not willing to cater to them. But when we submit to someone else, we want to be a blessing to them. We will go out of our way to help them, and we do not expect them to cater to us.
We seldom get hurt when we operate in this way because we do not expect anything in return. Do you get hurt easily? Perhaps you expect too much from other people and too little from yourself. If you decide to be a blessing to others, God will honor your commitment.
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Romans 12:10).
When you offer your smile and friendship to others, but they do not return the favor, recall that a servant demands nothing in return. Therefore, rejection should not bother you, and you will protect yourself from hurt.
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).
“Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion” (Romans 12:16).
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
