1 Peter 5
1 Peter 5:1-14
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5 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.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.
14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
With a heart that is devoted to serving the One who laid down His life, there is a necessity of maintaining motivation for Him that never falls into obligation or compulsion. Kind of like those who should be serving us in the public realm, the drive for each of us should be to humbly serve those we get to influence with our passion for the Master, instead of ever assuming power over them. Those things that could divert us from this purpose should all be left at His feet as we completely disallow the enemy from inhibiting our maturing in His glorifying. This really is God’s will for us, to ever be utilizing every threat of the enemy as a means of growing and developing in showing His grace and dominance over the meager challenges of satan. There is always an opportunity to readjust the focus back to His glory over that of any other.
Peter maintains this emphasis on God’s glory as a fixation over the things of this world and interpersonal conflicts or status. These things will always be the greatest of challenges as they inflict suffering on a scale that would defeat anyone apart from those securely established in Him. Our hope and desire have a place of refuge and strength, remaining transfixed on the hope that will not falter in the least but will always remain steadfast to the end in love.