“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you.” (1 Peter 5:6 RSV)

The word humble here—tapeinos in Greek—means “low-lying.” It evokes the posture of one who does not elevate himself, but instead rests in the security of God’s sovereign care. Humility isn’t self-deprecation; it’s clarity. It’s knowing who you are in light of who God is.

Paul echoes this in Romans 12:3:  “…not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

As C. Gene Wilkes writes in Jesus on Leadership, “Humility begins when you have a true picture of yourself before God and God’s call on your life.”

Jesus Modeled This Perfectly

Philippians 2:8 says: “Being found in appearance as a man, He (Jesus) humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—death on a cross. For this reason, also, God highly exalted Him…”

Unlike the world’s obsession with status and visibility, Jesus redefined greatness through servanthood. When His disciples jockeyed for position, He reminded them:  “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

He also warned against the pride of religious leaders who craved recognition: “They love the place of honor at banquets… and being called Rabbi.” (Matthew 23:6-7)

But then He turned the paradigm upside down: “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:11-12)

Even at a wedding feast, Jesus taught that honor is not seized—it’s bestowed: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  (Luke 14:7-11)

Our Response: Waiting with Valor…

Waiting for our turn rarely feels good or noble. Sitting in the lower seat can sting. But we’ve learned—again and again—that when we chase positions, we end up disappointed. When we wait for God, we are rewarded, or we learn that He has something else for us to do.

Eighteen years ago, I (Brad) reached out to an organization leader, offering to help with his ministry efforts. I was impressed with his leadership, his ministry achievements and fruit. So, I arranged a meeting with him—earnest, hopeful, ready to serve. 

But he didn’t show up. 

I expected a call or an email later that day explaining what happened and looking forward to rescheduling.  But nothing came.  Not that day, not the next day, not at all.  

Still, I chalked it up to a gap in the dairy, a misplaced reminder… and set up a meeting again.  

I arrived at the meeting place ahead of time.  And watched the clock tick past the appointed hour.  10 minutes, 20 minutes…  He was a no show, again.  

And no communication again, either.  

No apology. No follow-up. Just silence. I was humbled, even mortified. Not knowing the circumstances, I walked away feeling dismissed, clearly not worth his time or attention.  So, I gave up 

…for God’s Timing

But here’s the beauty of God’s timing: eighteen years later, he unexpectedly reappeared. And this time, he wanted to join me, and work with me in Men of Valor. He explained his previous circumstances and apologized for not showing up. He now wants to be part of what God is doing through this ministry. The same doors that were once closed were now opened wide—not by my striving, but by God’s hand.

In due time. 

“In due time” (1 Peter 5:6), the Lord will exalt you. Or as the Greek implies, He will elevate you. Not because you demanded it, but because you waited for Him.

So, wait, man of valor. Serve faithfully. Sit in the lower seat if you must. Because when the time is right, one way or another, the Lord will make things right.  

“A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.” 
— Proverbs 29:23 

Wait your turn, man of valor. 

(All Bible quotes are from the NASB unless noted otherwise.)