Question: Do you recall what Scripture says about what precedes a fall/destruction? Proverbs 16:18 answers that question: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Sadly, that pattern remains largely unbroken. Consider the case of Uzziah in the 700s B.C. He started off well, but his pride soon entered.

Text: “He [Uzziah] set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper” (2 Ch 26:5). If that were the whole story it would be great. But that is not the whole story.

Text: “But when he [Uzziah] was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD is God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense” (2 Ch 26:16). Incense was a duty of the priests. Uzziah was not a priest. Uzziah grew pompous and affronted God’s holiness by treating worship and the temple with a cavalier manner. And God humbles the proud. “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. God out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the LORD God” (2 Ch 26:18).

Encouragement: Godly leadership entails serving the people by respecting our proper lanes. That is, none of us is good in all areas. It takes a team. Wise leaders lead well but humbly. Because we should know by now what precedes a fall.