No matter how gifted we may be, no matter how valuable others may think we are, we have no right to take God’s name lightly, eclipse His glory, or rob Him of praise. As soon as we do that, the movement of God halts and a monument to our glory is erected. These selfish monuments tend to crash to the ground quickly, often taking us with them.

Tragically, King Uzziah didn’t learn well enough what it meant to fear and worship God. He had a good start. He walked humbly with God, pursued the disciplines of godly living, and sought wise counsel. But when he achieved military prowess and gained notoriety, his heart became proud. He built monuments to himself. Then his fear of God waned, and he sinned against Him. And Uzziah’s sin had lifelong consequences.