pride

The four books of Kings and Chronicles are a history of failed kings. A few did pretty well, but most didn’t. You’d think somewhere along the line they would have learned about defying God.

Uzziah is typical. He becomes king, initially listens to God and then, in 2 Chronicles 26:16 we read, “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.” Uzziah goes into the temple to make his own sacrifice, usurping the role of priest. God afflicts him with leprosy, and he is quarantined in a separate house until he dies.

Pride is a dangerous thing. I remember a pastor saying that health and prosperity led to as many spiritual problems as sickness and poverty. Highly blessed people can easily think they’re pretty good. They think those blessings came from their own work. 

I sometimes think my blessings came from my own work. I paid my dues, continued my education, climbed the ladder, saved my money, avoided bad lifestyle choices. All of that is true, but those bare facts beg two points.

First, did I do those things because I’m awesome, or because God, through his word and through the companionship and counsel of fellow believers, held my hand and guided me to this good place? I’m thinking probably the second one, because I know myself to be not so awesome.

Second, even if I did those things myself, does it follow that I earned for myself the blessings? I know rich successful people whose lives are miserable. Their families are a wreck, their bodies are failing them, they have few close relationships. So why don’t I face those things?

There is a very clear message in all these stories of failed kings. Follow God, and he will bless. Follow idols and he won’t. It doesn’t seem that clear to us because sometimes God delays both blessings and judgment for his own purposes, but it’s still true.

As always, living for Jesus is backward of what seems right. The more I succeed the more humble and grateful I should be. I wonder if my friends, family and co-workers would use those words to describe me?