Devotional - July 30, 2004

You probably remember the nursery rhyme: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again.

King Uzziah had in the shade. By that I mean, he had established himself as a man who regarded God and showed reverence to the Lord. And because of it God blessed the king more than most had been blessed before him. His army was greater, his weapons more powerful and his trained warriors were vast in number. God returned the respect showed him with blessings on the king that were apparent to everyone. Everything was good.

But something happened to Uzziah on the way to work one day. He began to give himself credit for some of the blessings God had given him. That started a process that led to his personal failure, illness, personal embarrassment, a loss of his throne and ultimately his untimely death.

You'd think the people would have helped him because of his reputation and ability to reward someone, but Humpty couldn't get any help from anyone. No one could put Uzziah back together again. His pride had swelled to the point, even God didn't want to help him.

Uzziah became haughty, proud, independent and self-serving. He had plenty of signals that should have set off his internal alarm, but if the alarm was ringing, Uzziah wasn't paying attention. And when God took His hand off him, Uzziah contracted a crippling, humiliating, ugly scab of leprosy right in the middle of his forehead. Nothing could hide it and no one wanted to look at it, much less get close to help him. If the king thought he had power, now was the time to use it. But he quickly learned he had no power that God hadn't given him. He had nothing in his possession that was worth the pain he had brought on himself.

Perhaps you're wondering if you've taken a tumble off your high perch and that's why no one, even God is stopping to help you. You've been given a real blessing today by learning that pride has another name. It sometimes goes by Humpty Dumpty. Now you know. Will you give give God glory for your blessing or count your stuff, believe you earned it and can't lose it.

Life is fragile. Handle it with care. If you're walking by your own strength and happen to break it, you've just bought it!

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( 2 Ch. 26:1-28:27 Rm. 13:1-14 Ps. 23:1-6 Pr. 20:11 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society