There’s a big difference in “having a grateful, thankful heart” for what God has done for you. You may be even able to share your story, as long as you don’t brag about it, and as long as you “give God all the Glory.” But, sometimes there comes a time when God blesses us and He tells us, “Don’t brag and don’t’ tell anyone else!”

II Kings 20:1-21 is the story of a great king of Judah, King Hezekiah. He was a Godly king who served the Lord, but in the first chapter we find Hezekiah with “sickness unto death.” Apparently, he had an infected boil that had spread infection throughout his body. And to make matters worse, the Prophet Isaiah was sent to tell him, “The Lord says, ‘Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die and not live.'” 20:1

Hezekiah then “turned his face to the wall and began to pray, and no sooner did he pray, that God heard his prayer, healed his body and added ten years to his life…” If we stopped there, it would be a good story, but the “son of the king of Babylon,” sent a letter and presents to Hezekiah, and congratulated him on his health, and also wanted to come and “visit” Hezekiah. This is where everything that “can go wrong… goes wrong!”

“And Hezekiah harkened to them, (that means that they asked him to show them the riches of the Temple and of the Palace) and he showed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures; there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.”

As soon as they had gone, the Prophet Isaiah came immediately and asked him, “What have they seen in thy house?” Hezekiah said, “I’ve shown them everything!”

The Prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah that because “he had showed them everything” (in a boastful manner), how Babylon would come against them, and take their daughters, and take their sons, and make them “eunuchs in his palace, and how he would take everything, the silver, gold, and everything!” All because the Lord said, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches…” Jeremiah 9:23

So, when God blesses you, “don’t be a show-off.” Keep a humble spirit “boast about the goodness of the Lord!”

Sherry