PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL

There is a story told in 2 Chronicles 26 of a young man who is anointed King of Jerusalem.

This young king’s name was Uzziah and he was only 16 years old when he was appointed as king.  He reigned over Jerusalem for fifty-two years and it states that “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” and “as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success”.
Uzziah became very powerful, but as his power and fame grew “…his pride led to his downfall.”

 One day he went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar.  Now only the priests who had been consecrated or dedicated to God were allowed to burn incense in the temple.  Uzziah had become so conceited and powerful that he no longer believed that the decrees (official ruling or law) God had put in place applied to him.

Eighty-one priests followed him into the temple to warn him that he was being unfaithful and disobedient to God.  He refused to listen and God afflicted him with leprosy.  He lived out the rest of his life in a house set apart from everyone else, not able to socialise or enjoy his great wealth and power.
We often see the same thing happening in today’s world.  An evangelist becomes famous, everyone respects and admires him and he starts to let all this adulation go to his head.  One day you turn on the television to the following announcement “Famous preacher caught in an adulterous affair” or “Well known evangelist found embezzling church funds”.
This evangelist, a man of God, had lost sight of the fact that everything he had been given – the gift of being a great speaker or the gift of healing – had been given to him by God to be used for the glory of God.
Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall.” (LAB)

There is another proverb that says “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom”.
This proverb became a reality in my life once I had children.

My sister had her children before me and I was quick to criticize her raising of them. I used to tell my husband “I will never allow our children to behave like that” or “Why doesn’t she control them” etc.

God then gave me children of my own and I had to go and humbly ask her for forgiveness for the way I judged her in raising her children.  Raising children is the most challenging thing I have ever had to do in my life and it is not just babies who have teething problems but their parents do as well. In fact the parents teething problems continue throughout the child's life!
By acknowledging my mistakes and learning from them, by being humble enough to ask for advice I have found wisdom in those situations just as the proverb states we will.
In fact it is only because I have children that I have such a close relationship with God.  I am constantly on my knees before Him asking for forgiveness, Godly wisdom, patience and humour in raising my children!

P.S. My sister’s children are all grown now and they are the most wonderful, kind, caring human beings.