Have you ever watched kids play “King of the Mountain?” Max Lucado has. Speaking of a recent observation experience, he says:
The rules are simple. Fight your way to the top, and shove off anyone who threatens to take your spot. It was a slugfest of crawling, pushing, and falling.
King of the Mountain is not just a kid’s game. Versions are played in every dormitory, classroom, and boardroom. And since mountaintop real estate is limited, people get shoved around. Mark it down: if you want to be king, someone is going to suffer. Pride comes at a high price.
A recurring message of Scripture is that God loves the humble heart.
Jesus said, “I am gentle and humble in heart.” (Matthew 11:29 NASB)
It is Christ who matters, not us.
Growing up in Sunday School, I learned about King Herod and his jealousy of Jesus. I always wondered why he felt so strongly that he had a right to be king. Didn’t he understand Jesus was the ultimate King? Why would he try to kill an entire nation just to keep his own position? It all seemed a bit drastic.
The truth is, pride sneaks into our daily lives, too. It can provoke outrageous responses in us—just like it did in Herod.
Pride says, “I don’t need help,” and “I deserve this.” If I’m honest, I can remember thinking some of those thoughts even this morning. Your listeners probably can, too.
Pride caused Herod to reject Jesus, the best Gift ever given … and it still does the same today.
Max says:
Learn a lesson from the sad life of Herod. It’s always been better to step down from the pedestal than to be pulled off of it.
Like the innkeeper, Herod missed an opportunity to see Jesus.
God did everything necessary to get Herod’s attention.
Make the wiser choice. The path marked Pride will lead you over a cliff. The path marked Humility will take you to the manger of the Messiah!
We’re entering a season designed to celebrate the beauty of God’s grace and the love of the Messiah. But there are moments during that same season where it’s easy neglect our souls … as we fill our lives with holiday parties, gift exchanges, and family reunions. Pride sneaks up on us when we’re too busy to fight it.
Help your listeners take a half-hour out of their crowded agendas by airing Because of Bethlehem, where Max gently tells the Christmas story for today’s culture. With Scripture, humor, and personal reflections, he lovingly challenges listeners to decide how they will respond to Christ’s invitation—Will you open the door and let Me come in?
It’s not even Thanksgiving yet and I’ve listened four times already! Please do the same; Because of Bethlehem is already permissioned on your FTP account. Just log in and open the “Specials” folder. You’ll see the “Because of Bethlehem” file nested there.
Then, let me know if we can count on you to air the program this Christmas season! We have a limited amount of Because of Bethlehem hardcopy books, for use as on-air giveaways for confirmed stations. Definitely indicate if you’d like any of those when you sign up. 🙂
Merry Christmas!
