The Choice of Pride
Evel Knieval holds the Guinness Book of World Records for bone fractures – 433! The climax of his career as a motorcycle daredevil was an attempted jump across the mile-long Snake River Canyon on a Sky-cycle. He ended up short but parachuted to safety.
For thirty years, his wife Linda and her church in Butte, Montana prayed for Evel’s salvation. Eight months before he died in 2007, he committed his life to Christ and was baptized by Pastor Robert Schuller on live TV! As the ultimate macho man, his pride kept him from God. King Uzziah had an equally challenging battle with pride, which finally destroyed him.
Four Opportunities to Defeat Pride:
When
by Mentors, Will You Seek God?
“Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king…his mother’s name was Jecoliah…He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God.” —II Chronicles 26:3-5.
Uzziah’s dad, Amaziah, lived for the Lord but not wholeheartedly. Uzziah followed in his footsteps. Eight of Judah’s ten kings are called good kings, but only Hezekiah and Josiah were exceptional. If you struggle with pride, it is very likely that your children will also.
When
by Success, Will You Glorify God?
“He went to war against the Philistines…and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful…but after Uzziah became powerful his pride led to his downfall.” —II Chronicles 26:6-16
The prosperity, buildings, fields, and army under Uzziah are unparalleled among the kings of Judah.
Uzziah’s success went to his head, even though his kingdom was small potatoes in the ancient world. Beware of falling in love…with yourself!
When
by Godly People, Will You Submit to God?
“He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. They confronted him.” —II Chronicles 26:16-18.
Gutsy priests ordered Uzziah out of the temple as kings were forbidden to fulfill the duties of the priesthood (Numbers 18:7)
*When confronted, first weigh your action. What does the Bible say about this action? *
Second, weigh your attitude.
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” —Proverbs 21:2.
Third, weigh your motives.
“Beware of practicing righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” —Matthew 6:1
Fourth, weigh your results.
“If your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.” —Romans 14:15
When
by Adversity, Will You Turn to God?
“When [Uzziah] was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.” —II Chronicles 26:19
God was merciful in sparing his life, giving him a “living death” (leprosy) instead. Uzziah was quarantined while living and banished from the royal tombs after dying. When adversity strikes, do you turn back to God?
Growing up in Butte, Montana, Evel Knieval “never wanted to be told what to do.” Even after marrying a godly wife, even after having numerous close calls with death, and even after being in a coma for 29 days, Evel still resisted God out of pride. Since no one knows how long they have, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6.