Did you have a nickname growing up? Most of us probably had some type of nickname at one time or another. In most cases, nicknames give us insight into a person’s life. Perhaps the name represents something they do or how they look. Other times though, a person’s nickname can lead to more questions than answers.

Take King Herod for example. This Roman-appointed King ruled over the Jewish people for about 33 years.  And although he was quite successful in many areas of his kingship, he is hardly deserving of his nickname: Herod the Great, especially when we consider his behavior concerning the birth of Jesus.

Most of us are familiar with the infamous story of Herod’s attack on infant boys in the little town of Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1-18). After hearing some wise men from the east had come to Jerusalem to worship the new born “King of the Jews,” Herod set out on a mission to rid his life of this potential threat by killing all the innocent males under the age of two. Herod believed there was only room for one “King of the Jews,” and he wasn’t going to give up his beloved title to anyone, including Jesus.

In Herod’s mind, the only way he could continue to remain king was to eliminate any threat he met along the way, including the one and only Son of God. So Herod ordered the death of all the little boys in and around the town of Bethlehem in hopes of eliminating Jesus. What a sad commentary of this so-called “great” king. Herod had so much pride in his heart that he allowed himself to kill innocent little children.

We can learn many lessons from Herod, but perhaps none any bigger than the damaging effects of pride. You see, pride is at the root of many other sins in our lives. When we allow our hearts to be filled with pride, we allow sin to fill our lives. King Herod’s pride caused him to act in “not so” great ways. Let’s  remember the words of the wise man when he said, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace” (Prov. 11:2).

Now that’s Something to Think About!