Respond Appropriately

Reading: 2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chronicles 32; James 5 24 About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill. He prayed to the Lord, who healed him and gave him a miraculous sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 32:24-25 NLT) Hezekiah was a great king of Judah. He was wholeheartedly faithful to the Lord “like David had been.” Yet in spite of his work, his faith, and the miraculous intervention of God, there came a time when Hezekiah let pride trip him up (More on this in Isaiah 38-39). He did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him by the Lord. When things were desperate, and the Assyrian army was preparing to put Jerusalem under siege, Hezekiah readily acknowledged his total dependence on God. Once the threat was removed (by God’s miraculous intervention), Hezekiah began to think that his own goodness, his great leadership abilities, and his personal value to the Kingdom was the source of his success. 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” 25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. (Lamentations 3:22-25 NLT) It’s easy to forget that it is only by the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed. It’s easy to let a little pride slip in. I want to respond appropriately to the kindness God and others have shown me. How about you? Think of one thing you could do or say to God and one thing you could do or say to someone else in your life today that would be an appropriate response to the kindness God has shown you. I’d love to hear from you about what you choose to do or say! Prayer: Father, I acknowledge your power and greatness. I acknowledge the kindness you and others have shown me. I appreciate the blessings you have showered on me and the wonderful people with whom you have surrounded me. Let me never fail to respond appropriately to the kindness shown me. Amen.