In the same way, you younger men, be subject to the elders. And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5 HCSB
In my observation it seems that younger men do not have as much respect for older men as in times past. In some cultures one's elders are often held in high esteem and looked to for leadership and wisdom. It seems that in American culture today, it is exactly the opposite. The older a person becomes, the less respected he is and is often viewed as someone who is out of touch with reality. I think that is why we are seeing more and more very young people in management positions of large cooperations and churches. Older people are often discarded as much younger people are hired in their place.
This verse is a reminder to the younger generation to look to their elders and come under their authority. In Biblical times, older people were considered to have wisdom according to their years of experience. I think both the young and the old can benefit from Peter's words. Often older people have too much pride and feel they deserve a certain position because of their age. Similarly, younger people will often not benefit from the experience of older men because they think they know more than an older person. Peter tells both the young and old to humble themselves and to serve one another. The young should follow the leadership of older men and the older men should lead by example.
Challenge: Respect and honor those who are older and listen to those who are younger. You might gain a few good ideas and words of wisdom. Be humble enough to admit that you do not know it all and that you can learn from others – both those who are younger and those who are older.