Aprons and Overalls
W. Carl Ketcherside
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In the days of the apostles the Roman Empire was a teeming mass of slaves, most of them owned by nobles and patricians. The fighting machine developed with living cogs had overrun the world and reduced the bulk of mankind to a condition of abject physical servitude. The Roman politicians lived always in a state of tension and fear produced by the possibility of a universal uprising and revolt of their captives.
As a means of identification of status each slave was required to wear a distinctive garb, a wrap-around apron of white, when he went anywhere in public. Thus his inferior social standing was ascertainable unto all, and his deference in demeanor was understood. Peter uses the very word for this white apron in 1 Peter 5:5, where it appears in the word "clothed." The passage reads: "Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility."
Christians are slaves. The word rendered "servants" in such passages as Philippians 1:1 and Titus 1:1, is doulos, a bondslave. A slave belongs to another by right of capture or purchase. "The free man who received the call is a slave in the service of Christ" (1 Corinthians 7:22). The slave has no life or will of his own.
Our badge of subjection is humility. When we wear this white apron the world recognizes that Jesus is our Master. Humility is not cowardice for it takes a brave man to follow Christ. It is not weakness for one must be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. It is not spineless servility but sincerity of service. It comes to the disciplined, not to the diffident.
Humility is the ready mind relinquishing rights to encourage others. It is the voluntary sacrifice of personal prerogatives to promote peace. It is sitting down on a lower step while another is elevated because of your effort. It is playing second fiddle while the soloist receives the applause for using the instrument you have tuned. It is calling the signal for another to carry the ball the last foot over the goal line after you have battered your way for fifty yards to place it in that position.
Humility is bending down to shake hands with a little child. It is saying, "Thank you!" to the Negro elevator man in your office without noticing that he is a Negro, and with no thought of being polite because of the civil rights agitation. It is stopping your car to enquire of the garbage man about his sick child because you are interested in the welfare of his family. If you do any of these to be seen of men, or because the neighbors are watching, it is not humility at all. It is pride of the worst kind. It is rank hypocrisy!
The New English Version reads: "Indeed, all of you should wrap yourselves in the garment of humility towards each other." J. B. Phillips translates it: "Indeed all
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The Authentic Version puts it thus: "Always wear humility's apron with one another."