Pride=Fall!

In my reading through the Chronicles of the Kings, today a very familiar name emerged: Uzziah in chapter 26 of II Chronicles. Many of us know that name because of Isaiah 6..."in the year that King Uzziah died." I was wrecked as I read of his reign for he DID follow God, and God gave him great success. His military was great and he invented new ways to protect Jerusalem. A great guy BUT he began to believe his own press! He became prideful of the success he had and decided he didn't have to follow the statues in the temple because he was so great. God's law stated that only priests from the line of Aaron could burn incense on the altar, but Uzziah thought he was above God's plan and went in and began doing the priest's job. The priests warned him but he became angry while in the temple...the result? Leprosy...until the day he died. He became angry while "serving" in the church! Good thing that never happens today, huh? (insert uncomfortable grunt!) Pride will cause us to do things we should never do, and often when we are confronted with our "sin" we become angry. The angry outbursts while doing "God's work" in our churches never serve the kingdom. As a matter of fact, they will cause the church to have a type of leprosy that keeps people away. Pride does that and is why we need to be constantly aware of it in our own lives. When God gives success, He gets the glory! Oh, and we NEVER get to take the reins! Today, realize that perhaps like me, your pet sin is pride. Believe me, it will be your downfall if you don't give it over to God. While we know He loves us and we are precious in His sight, we are not equal and we must keep that in perspective. Remember, "Pride goes before a fall!" Proverbs 16:18