Divided Loyalty?

And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (I Peter 5:5-6)

Elder or younger - all relate to one another in humility - this is God's plan. Pride gets the dander up quicker than anything else and it disrupts any movement toward unity or peace faster than a speeding train. Elder isn't to "lord it over", nor is younger to challenge the authority set over them. If we'd just get this right, maybe we'd stand half a chance at changing the course of this world!

When our 'loyalty' is divided between God and this world, chaos is sure to ensue. Look at what James tells us, "Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world." (James 4:8) We can be caught up in this world's attractions, but they only serve to pull us away from God and each other. 

Where to humble people reside? Under the might power of the God who indwells their spirit. How do we realize this type of 'closeness' to God? We spend time with him - giving him priority in our lives. This might be why Peter reminds us that when we correctly submit to the authority placed over our lives, there seems to be a peace that permeates our gatherings. Choose to live outside of that authority and the disorder this brings is palpable.

Could it be that the disorder we feel at times in our lives is an indicator there is something wrong with where we have placed ourselves? Perhaps we are submitting to an authority who has no right to 'rule' - ourselves. We follow our own lusts and desires, then wonder why our world seems to be a little more chaotic than usual. Repent of that misplaced loyalty and we find order returns. No matter what we believe about our ability to 'live right', apart from God, we only make 'half-wise' decisions.

Worries and cares go hand-in-hand with living outside of the authority of God in our lives. When we correctly align our heart, soul, and mind with his authority, the cares we used to carry all on our own are born by him. We find our load gets a little lighter and our way a little clearer. The wise are never afraid to admit they need a leader - the proud resist every attempt to 'align' their lives under any authority other than they own. Just sayin!