If you haven’t noticed from my last 2 posts I have recently finished reading Peter’s letters. I have found them to be some of my favorite books in the Bible and I could use them alone to write hundreds of more posts. But today I want to focus on this idea of: “The Hidden Man of the Heart”.
Context
Peter is addressing wives and their conduct around their husbands. In particular he is exhorting them on how they should adorn (dress) themselves. He says: “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on garments;…” (1 Peter 3:3 LSB) Instead of only focusing on the external beauty they are to:
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”
1 Peter 3:4 KJV
Hidden Man of the Heart
We learn here that there are two men “persons” that we represent. One is the outward man. This is the one that people can physically see with their eyes. Our hair, our clothing, our body, etc. Now how you present this one still matters. When people see you they should see one who is respectful, not showing off, and modest to God’s standards. However, there is another man that is of even more importance and that is: “the hidden man of the heart.”
In the verse above Peter gives us the instruction of how we are to dress this man: “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.”
- Meek: “gentle”, “kind”, “forgiving”, “humble”, “lowly”
A meek person is one who truly understands God to be Lord and Master over every square inch of their lives. They live as a humble servant with knowledge that every outward circumstance they find themselves in has been ordained by God. Therefore they are gentle, peaceful, and very humble.
- Quiet: “tranquil”, “peaceful”, “calm”, “undisturbed”
A quiet person is one who no matter what words are thrown at them they respond with such calmness that it almost makes you mad. I assume you know what I’m talking about. Or maybe I’m the only one who struggles with this. It’s the mom who is able to bend down when her child throws a wild temper-tantrum (that was me) and with a gentle soft voice – calm the enraged child down.
These two put together produce such a beautiful and attractive conduct that Peter says that in the sight of God it is “of great price”.
Adorn Yourself
Now if you aren’t a wife don’t go thinking you can walk away without this applying to you. Of course this applies to everyone. We all have a “hidden man of the heart”. Now you need to do some searching to see how he has been adorned recently. Has he been calm, gentle, and kind? Or rather has he been harsh, quick to anger, and bitter? If so, maybe it’s time to jump into the word of God and be washed. Take off the clothes of that old man and put on the garments of Jesus: a meek and quiet Spirit.
You will be shocked how much it transforms your life. Every day you will find yourself in scenarios where you are able to share the love of Christ just by being a meek and quiet person. People around you will be affected, you will find your heart refreshed with the presence of God, and most of all, get this now, in the sight of God it is of great price.
Action
- Praise God for the example of Jesus as a meek and quiet Spirit
- Confess to God the current clothing of your hidden man in detail
- Ask God to help you take off the rags of your old man and put on Jesus
- Listen to this post’s song: More Like Jesus