When Success Tests the Heart: Guarding Against Pride in Leadership

Success can quietly test the heart long before it ever tests our skills. In this From Wrong to Strong Devotional, Omar Calvillo unpacks a subtle but dangerous threat that often appears after growth, influence, and promotion: pride. Drawing from 2 Chronicles 26, Proverbs 16, the teachings of Jesus, and the humility of Christ Himself, this message reminds leaders that power does not ruin us. Forgetting who gave us power does.

This devotional is a timely call to remain humble, submitted, and servant hearted as God increases our platform. Growth is not the enemy. Promotion is not the problem. But unchecked pride will always lead to a fall. May we lead like Jesus, with humility, dependence on God, and faithfulness in both public influence and private surrender.

Transcript

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Hello family. This is Omar Calvio and this is the From Wrong to Strong Devotional. Today I want to talk about a subtle danger that doesn't usually show up at the beginning of leadership, but often shows up after success. Let's begin with God's word. 2 Chronicles 26:16 says,"But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the LORD his God." That one verse is loaded. King, Uzziah didn't start off reckless. He didn't begin proud. He didn't step into leadership trying to dishonor God. He started well, but scripture tells us when he became powerful, pride crept in and pride lets a downfall. This is the danger. Power didn't ruin him. Pride did. Influence didn't destroy him. Forgetting who gave him influence did. That's a quote that's often attributed to Lord Acton, that says,"Power tends to corrupt. And absolute power corrupts absolutely." Now, whether that quote came from a theologian or a historian, it lines up perfectly with scripture. The moment we begin to believe this is my platform, this is my success, this is my calling to control. We're already drifting. Proverbs 16:18 reminds us,"Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall." Notice. Before the fall comes pride. Before the collapse comes confidence without humility. This is why Jesus constantly flipped the world's idea of leadership upside down. In Mark 10:42-45, Jesus tells his disciples that worldly leaders love authority and position. But then he says, whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant. For even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve. Let that sit for a moment. Jesus had all authority, yet he washed feet. He listened to the overlooked. He submitted to the father. Power didn't make him distant. It made him humble. Philippians two verses three to five say,"Do nothing outta selfish ambition or vain conceit, rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. Having the same mindset as Christ Jesus. That's the standard. Growth is not the enemy. Promotion is not the problem. Influence is not a sin, but unchecked pride is always dangerous. If God is increasing your platform, your responsibility grows too. If he's expanding your reach, your humility must expand with it. If he's promoting you publicly, you must stay submitted privately. The question isn't, how big is your influence? The question is how surrendered is your heart? Let's close with this reminder from James four, verse six. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. May we never become so powerful that we forget how dependent we are on God. May we never grow so visible that we stop being teachable and may we lead not from pride, but from the posture of a servant. Let's lead like Jesus. Humble, submitted, and faithful. This is Omar Calvillo, and through Jesus Christ, I've gone from darkness to light and from wrong to strong.