Pride Come Before a Fall

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18).

When we speak of pride, we typically use it in one of two ways. We can speak of pride in a positive way to express a healthy respect for one's ability or person. Such as, John takes pride in his work. The second way is negative. Often, pride reflects an unhealthy confidence in and attention to one's own skills, accomplishments, etc. This kind of pride is sin.

One of the clearest pictures of pride in Scripture, is the story of Uzziah. The story seems to unfold as if it was written to illustrate this very proverb. In 2 Chronicles 26:1-22, we get to witness the fall of Uzziah. It's a sad story, played out too often in human history.

Uzziah was a young man of great potential. He became king at the age of 16 by the will of the people. He was commended by God. He was a mighty warrior. A builder. A entrepreneur. He possessed great wealth and an army to defend it. If you would have asked anyone who knew him to describe him in one word, they would have, most certainly, said, "Powerful."

All that Uzziah possessed had been given to him by the Lord. Uzziah's name meant "Yahweh is my strength." His strength, his brilliance, his wisdom, his wealth all came from the Lord.

However, it appears Uzziah forgot that. Apparently, he had began to believe his own press. He had begun to think he  was the source of all his power. His pride brought about his downfall. We can see his thoughts through his actions.

Uzziah barged into the holy place ready to offer incense at the altar. Yet, it was unlawful for him to do so. His, "I can do what I want" attitude is evident.

When confronted by the priests, Uzziah became enraged. His actions scream, "Who do you think you are to stop me?". His rebellion was met with leprosy and rejection.

The Lord showed mercy to Uzziah, by giving him leprosy. He could have just killed him there on the spot. Yet, he gave him the opportunity to repent.

The sad end to Uzziah's story is that he never repented. He ended his life locked away from his family, cut off from God, and stripped of his power. In the end, they would even bury him with his forefathers.

The lesson is simple: pride destroys. God calls us to humility. Pride tells us that we can do whatever we want, and we won't have to answer for it. Humility says apart from Christ, I can do no good thing. Don't let pride trip you up.