“To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” – Proverbs 8:13
Born into wealth and royalty, Liu He had everything going for him. And, indeed, his future looked bright when, in 74 BC, his uncle, the Emperor and ruler of the Han Dynasty died without an heir.
In all, Liu He reigned for just 27 days. And it’s actually surprising that he lasted this long. From the start, he offended influential figures in the royal court. For starters, it was believed that Liu did not correctly observe the period of mourning for his uncle. Indeed, instead of showing respect for the recently-deceased Emperor, Liu spent the first few days of his reign partying day and night. Despite his advisors cautioning him to show some restraint, Liu carried on with his playboy ways and, after some parties, would appoint friends or favored relatives to government positions, regardless of how qualified they were.
After a few weeks, senior ministers had enough. They went to Empress Dowager Shagguan and asked her to depose her wayward nephew. Citing his “licentious and arrogant behavior,” she readily agreed. The Empress calculated that Liu had committed a massive 1,127 different offenses during his 27 days on the throne. Liu was forced out of power and made the Marquis of a small, inconsequential province. He died there, humiliated and alone in 59 BC, aged just 33.
The sin of arrogance is odious to both God and other people. Today in prayer, confess to the Lord any pride or arrogance in your life. Seek to walk humbly with Jesus in all that you do.
“The source of sin is pride.” – Augustine
God’s Word: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” – Proverbs 11:2
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