Let’s start with some quick background on 1 Peter. This letter is considered a “general” epistle, since it is not addressed to a specific audience or congregation. It appears to be written during a time when the fear of persecution & suffering for the author & his readers was very real. Its text has provided great comfort through the centuries for Christians enduring isolation, slander, & abuse due to their faith.
This week’s theme of pride (& corresponding humility) can be daunting. Perhaps our picture of humility, though, is skewed. We typically view humility in regard to our interactions with others (family, work colleagues, friends, etc.). However, what if we were to focus our idea of humility in regard to our relationship with God?
Picture an old English estate from centuries ago: a manor, vast grounds, stone fences, great gardens, & various nearby cottages for servants. Now, on such estate there would be two head honchos: the Master & the Caretaker. The Master is the ultimate boss who provides for all of his subjects & has full responsibility. The Caretaker serves at the pleasure of the Master to ensure that the estate’s potential is fully realized.
The Master would be certainly tempted by pride & all of its accompanying pitfalls, since he would view himself as the “lord” of the manor. The caretaker could be relatively free of such temptation, since all of his talents, labors, & energies would be employed & submitted for the kingdom’s prosperity. It would be silly for the caretaker to boast of his accomplishments, since all of his successes are attributable to the Master. (Like the old quip, “he was born on 3rd base & thought he hit a triple.” Such self-important view would immediately be subject to ridicule.)
How do we like to picture ourselves? Do we try to be the Master, “lord” over everything & everyone? Or do we try to act as a Caretaker ungrudgingly using our talents to further the Master’s Kingdom, recognizing that all of our accomplishments are not solely our own, & that our gains are merely ours for the moment, since they rightfully belong to the Master?
Now some may view being the Caretaker as being laden with a burdensome yoke that is restraining us from our full potential. However, I would submit it is incredibly freeing. If you are the Master, since the “buck” has to stop with you, all worries/fears/anxieties are yours & yours alone. But, if you are the Caretaker, you can freely take part in Peter’s command in verse 7, and “cast all your anxieties on to Him, because He cares for you.” So, for today, let’s set aside the often-overwhelming burden that comes from the pride of being our own Master & enjoy a delightful day as the Caretaker of our Father’s Kingdom!
Darren Lippe co-leads the “Loving God” Learning Community at the Church of the Resurrection.
