From Pride to Destruction

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2 Chronicles 26:16-21

The Message (MSG)

^16-18 But then the strength and success went to his head. Arrogant and proud, he fell. One day, contemptuous of God, he walked into The Temple of God like he owned it and took over, burning incense on the Incense Altar. The priest Azariah, backed up by eighty brave priests of God, tried to prevent him. They confronted Uzziah: “You must not, you cannot do this, Uzziah—only the Aaronite priests, especially consecrated for the work, are permitted to burn incense. Get out of God’s Temple; you are unfaithful and a disgrace!”
^19-21 But Uzziah, censer in hand, was already in the middle of doing it and angrily rebuffed the priests. He lost his temper; angry words were exchanged—and then, even as they quarreled, a skin disease appeared on his forehead. As soon as they saw it, the chief priest Azariah and the other priests got him out of there as fast as they could. He hurried out—he knew that God then and there had given him the disease. Uzziah had his skin disease for the rest of his life and had to live in quarantine; he was not permitted to set foot in The Temple of God. His son Jotham, who managed the royal palace, took over the government of the country.

For Reflection

That's the problem with riding high.  Uzziah lost humility.  He forgot that God placed him in a position to bring about a peace full of justice and compassion.  Uzziah had succumbed to the terrorism of success. Being top dog is being isolated from the truth.  Soon one becomes so isolated from the reality of his or her existence that he or she thinks that only they can effect righteousness. 

Pray

that when things are going well you remember that it is because of God not yourself that life is good.  Pray for humility.  Pray that you will never assign success to anyone but God.