Friday, December 12 As soon as he was strong, his heart became haughty to his own ruin, and he acted unfaithfully against Jehovah.​—2 Chron. 26:16.

[Áine]

Friday, December 12

As soon as he was strong, his heart became haughty to his own ruin, and he acted unfaithfully against Jehovah.—2 Chron. 26:16.

 

When King Uzziah became powerful, he forgot that Jehovah was the Source of his strength and prosperity. What is the lesson? We do well to remind ourselves that our blessings and privileges come from Jehovah. Rather than boast about our accomplishments, we should give Jehovah the credit for what we are able to do. (1 Cor. 4:7) We must humbly realize that we are imperfect and need discipline. A brother in his 60’s wrote: “I have learned not to take myself too seriously. When I receive discipline for the childish mistakes that I sometimes make, I try to get back up and keep moving forward.” The reality is that when we fear Jehovah and keep a humble view of ourselves, our life will turn out well.—Prov. 22:4. w23.09 10 ¶10-11

[dljbsp]

The account of Uzziah reminds me how quietly a heart can change when it stops looking to Jehovah. The record says, “As soon as he was strong, his heart became haughty to his own ruin.” — 2 Chronicles 26:16.

 

His increase in strength should have drawn him closer to Jehovah,

yet it revealed a shift inside —

he began trusting the ability rather than the One who gave it.

 

In a softer way, we face something similar today. Some tools, including forms of artificial intelligence, can make writing clearer or organizing easier,

but they cannot carry our faith or speak for our heart.

When we lean too heavily on them,

our own voice grows thin,

and the warmth Jehovah shaped in us becomes harder for others to feel.

 

Humility keeps us grounded. It reminds us that the value is not in the polish, but in the person Jehovah is forming.

And the proverb reassures us that “the result of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life.” — Proverbs 22:4.
With that in mind, we can use tools when needed, but we keep our trust — and our voice — with Jehovah.

[Vincent Callahan]

The Insight book says that: (haughtiness is the opposite of humility. The Greek and Hebrew words translated "haughty" and "haughtiness" have the basic meaning of causing oneself to appear "high," "exalted," "lofty", "eminemt".)

 

As Witnesses we know that to remain in Jehovah's friendship, we have to love what he loves and hate what he hates. 

Proverbs 6:16, 17 read:

 

There are six things Jehovah hates;

Yes, seven things he detests:

Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that she'd innocent blood,

 

The first of the seven things were "haughty eyes". The Scripture says thay Uzziah's heart became haughty. This makes me think of a Scripture from my favorite Psalm which is Psalm 19....

 

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be pleasing to you , O Jehovah, my Rock and my Redeemer.

 

There is a Scripture that is a guiding-principle in my life. It's the Scripture found at Romans 12:16

 

Have the same attitude towards others as towards yourselves; do not set your mind on lofty things, but be led along by lowly things. Do not become wise in your own eyes.