1 Peter 5:5

‘In the same way, you younger ones, be subject to those who are older. Yes, all of you, gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'

In the same way as the elders are to be ‘models' of genuine humble service, so are the younger men to be humble and to give to all older men the respect that is due to them. The point is that they are to be humble to the humble. They are to respond to their teaching and admonitions (‘be subject to the one who is older'), and to their example, not as underlings but out of loyalty to Christ. The aim is to ensure total unity and togetherness, without division.

Such humility is to be the attitude of all. Peter no doubt remembered how, before the crucifixion, he and his fellow-disciples had fought over who was going to be the greatest (Luke 22:24; Mark 9:33; Mark 10:42). But they had soon learned that that was not the way of the cross, and Peter had remembered the lesson well. He had been brought to see that they must all rather strive to be the humblest servant of all as Jesus had said. Each must ‘gird himself with humility'. Each must gird himself with his apron so as to humbly serve (compare Luke 12:35). There must be no thought of self-importance. It is quite probable that Peter has in mind how Jesus ‘girded' Himself with a towel in order to wash His disciples' feet (John 13:1).

‘For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Compare Proverbs 3:34. ‘He (God) scorns the scorner but gives grace to the lowly.' (We have already noted how regularly Peter cites the Book of Proverbs. He had clearly taken it to heart). The point is that God has no time for the proud and the wayward, the ones whose pride of heart prevent them from submitting humbly to God. Indeed He resists them. It is they who are the disobedient. All His grace, His unmerited favour and blessing, is bestowed on those who are humble and seek Him and take up a true position as servants. (Compare Jesus' words about the little children - Mark 10:15).

It should be noted in this regard that the position of shepherd was itself always a humble one. A shepherd was not someone who was respected, and looked up to and admired. Rather he was the opposite. He received no adulation. He was seen as a lowly man with a lowly task. But the point here is that he performed a worthwhile function and cared about his sheep. Lowly in the eyes of the world he was important to the sheep. This contrast between the proud and the humble was one that Peter had often heard on Jesus' lips (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14; Luke 6:20 with 24)