THE SIN OF SHOWING OFF

“And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.” - Isaiah 39:2

Hezekiah had been shown great mercy by the Lord. The Lord had protected him and his people from enemy invasion. God granted Hezekiah 15 extra years of life. Despite all of this, Hezekiah failed miserably when the Babylonian king sent an envoy to visit him. Hezekiah, in his pride, showed them the glory of his kingdom. In fact, the Bible says, “there was nothing in his house, nor in his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.” In other words, Hezekiah showed off to his visitors.

There is a tendency within our fallen nature to please or impress others. It is easy for us to show off. We are never too young or too old to show off. Youngsters show off to their peers. Adults show off their possessions. Businessmen want to flaunt their success. Rich people exhibit their excesses. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are all guilty of showing off.

The Christian community is not immune to showing off. Pastors like to show off the size of their ministry. Authors like to brag about the number of books they have written. Those with a social media presence are quick tell about their large following. I love Southern Gospel music, but I have to admit that bass singers often show off the depth of their vocal range --- usually at the end of a song. I've even known some who seem to brag about their humility!

Internationally, people have a dim view of Americans. They see us as proud, arrogant and gaudy. I have to admit that their view is rather accurate. We do seem to be rather pushy and flashy. We like to show off.

I've never heard a sermon about the sin of showing off. Hezekiah's failure is a Biblical lesson about this sin. Hezekiah's people had to pay dearly for his sin. Sadly, Hezekiah didn't have the remorse he should have. When he learned that the consequences of his actions would come to the nation after his death, he comforted himself that his image would be untarnished. Wow! That sounds like politicians today! They are more concerned about their image than the people they are serving.

Hezekiah's example proves that sin has far reaching effects. It is wrong to assume that personal sin only impacts your life. The penalty for sin may devastate many people around you. It did in Hezekiah's case.

Why is showing off such a bad thing? First of all, we show off because of pride. We want to draw attention to ourselves. We want to be noticed. We like to be praised. We enjoy the accolades of peers. Pride is a deceptive sin, because it based upon a false assumption that we deserve the applause of others.

Secondly, showing off is sinful because it robs God of the glory due Him. You see, if anything noteworthy is accomplished in your life, the Lord is the One who is responsible. James wrote that EVERY good and EVERY perfect gift comes from the Lord. God has given us unique gifts, talents and abilities. He has arranged circumstances to work in our favor. He has done miraculous things in our lives so that He will be glorified through us. What do we do with these blessings? We want to flaunt them arrogantly in front of others --- as if we are self-made individuals. How would you like it if someone took credit for something you did? That is exactly what we are doing when we show off.

Finally, showing off is sinful because it taints our Christian testimony. If we are honest, we must admit that what we really deserve is hell. We are God's children only because of His grace. We have nothing to boast of. As His children, we are called to be like Jesus. Of all people, Jesus had reason to show off --- but He didn't. Yes, He performed miracles. He drew large crowds. He met numerous needs. Yet He often retreated from the crowds. His ultimate mission was to go to a cross and die in shame. Jesus didn't show off and we shouldn't either.

Although Jesus didn't show off during His earthly ministry, be aware that one day He is coming in glory. He has a glorious home that His children will see. Remarkably, He is going to share it with us. When we behold Him that day, we will have nothing to brag about. We won't be showing off. Instead, we'll be giving all the praise to Jesus.

Instead of showing off, let's tell people about our wonderful Lord. Let's brag on Jesus. And may we live in such a way that He will be seen in us!!!