Most people aim to reach the top—whether in their careers, academics, offices, or whatever sphere is relevant to them. But here’s the truth: the way up is down.
This is a biblical principle found in 1 Peter 5:6:
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”
1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV)
Humility precedes exaltation. Grace—God’s undeserved favor—is given to the humble. Scripture says it clearly: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5 NKJV). God’s response to pride is active resistance. Every one of us is a product of God’s grace. If He were to bless us based on merit—even with basic things like sunlight or rain—none of us would qualify. Yet He gives freely.
However, the extent to which we experience that grace often depends on humility. Take Saul and David for example. Saul was Israel’s first king. He started off well, following God’s instructions. But pride quickly took root. He assumed he could act independently of God, and that was the beginning of his downfall. God resisted him, and the grace that was once upon him was taken away.
In contrast, David was a young, overlooked shepherd—so insignificant that even his family couldn’t imagine him as king. But God chose him. And David remained humble. Even when people sang, his praises over that of Saul, the king, he didn’t let pride take over. He continually submitted to God.
God exalted him from the field to the throne. And throughout his life, despite his mistakes, he remained repentant and humble before God.David is widely regarded as Israel’s greatest king—not because he was perfect, but because he continually walked in humility and dependence on God. The grace that lifted him was sustained by his posture of heart.
Every time I read this portion of scripture, I remember Jesus. He lived humbly, first leaving His throne behind to be born as a lowly man, then to be scorned and mocked by His own creation, and then destined to suffer an unfair death. All of these periods of lows built up to the most powerful high that anyone else has ever experienced. Philippians 2:9-11 tells us that God highly exated Him and gave Him a name above every other name, such that when that name is mentioned, every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord to glory of the Father. In due time, the exaltation came.
For many believers, the challenge here isn’t even humility, it’s the due time. Because we have spent so long being abased we presume what the due time should be. But make no mistake, it is God who knows the right time. And when it’s right, He will bestow His blessings. (See Joseph’s story).
It is God who exalts a man. This statement might sound controversial—after all, there are unbelievers at the top of industries, nations, and institutions. But I stand by this truth because of what the story of King Nebuchadnezzar taught me.
This king wasn’t a Jew. He didn’t know or worship the living God. Yet, God allowed his kingdom to flourish, surpassing every other nation in wealth, power, and reach at the time. But then, God sent him a clear warning: humble yourself or face the consequences (Daniel 4:27).
As expected, Nebuchadnezzar did not heed the warning. And so, just as God had said, Nebuchadnezzar lost everything—not by invasion or political overthrow, but by losing his sanity. For seven years, he lived like a wild animal, stripped of dignity and dominion. God didn’t demote him through human means. He simply withdrew His grace, and in that moment, Nebuchadnezzar learned who was truly in charge.
God reminded Nebuchadnezzar that if he had anything, it was only because He (God) allowed it. Apostle Paul understood this when he said: “I am what I am by the grace of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:10). The moment Nebuchadnezzar embraced pride, God resisted him. And in return, he lost his sanity. But when he finally lifted his eyes to heaven and acknowledged God, his understanding returned—and so did his throne (Dan. 4:34). It was a humbling moment for the great king.
Here’s the lesson: It’s better to humble yourself before God than to be humbled by Him.
Paul, on the other hand, lived in constant awareness of God’s greatness and his own smallness. For that reason, more grace kept being made available to him. He kept rising, growing, and going from glory to glory.
Likewise, in our walk with God, we must be dependent on Him. we must be humble under His mighty hand. We must submit to His will and let go of our ambitions for His. It is only when we can successfully humble ourselves that we receive an exaltation that comes from God. The best part of it all is that God’s style of exalting a man is always much more better than what the man plans for himself. An unspoken quality of Joseph was humility. His plan was to be released from prison and probably find his way back home. God’s plan was to make him second-in-command in the biggest nation in the world. (Gen. 40:23; 41:37)
There is a famous saying, pride goes before a fall, and another, she stoops to conquer. Both are true. The fall from grace that pride brings is often sudden and humiliating. But the triumph of the humble is deep, lasting, and ordained by God.
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