Thursday, August 14: 2Kings 14- Pride.

Reading the account of Amaziah reminded me of Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Pride can get us into deep trouble and it certainly did that to Amaziah.

After defeating Edom, he decided to take on Israel. Big mistake. The king of Israel even gave him an out before the war started. But Amaziah, puffed up from the defeat of Edom (a small country with a fairly weak army), he wouldn’t back down and was soundly defeated by the much larger Israel.

Pride gets us into all kinds of trouble. Where he could have saved face, if he just put his ego aside, Amaziah got in over his head and lost everything.

As the Proverb says: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

I began to ponder pride… asking myself where it still lives in my life.

Can I ask for help when I need it?

Can I stop mid-situation when I realize I don’t have the ability to succeed or finish?

Do I think more highly of myself or my skills than I should?

If I cannot do these things, it is likely an indication that pride is living within me. And this kind of pride is NOT good! This is the kind of pride that brought Amaziah to his knees!

Lord, it is hard, near impossible, for me see pride in me… Please, Holy Spirit, search me and know me and see if there is any wickedness, particularly pride, in me. And, Lord, then please clean out this wickedness that I might reflect more and more on Jesus, my Lord and Savior. In His name, I pray. Amen.