Pride

Earl Allen told the story of how King Ptolemy decided to commission the building of a huge lighthouse.  He ordered Sostratus to construct it.  The lighthouse was called "The Pharos" Ptolemy required that the structure should bear his name, but Sostratus did not think the king should be given sole credit.  Nevertheless, he complied and in thick plaster, Sostratus inscribed the name of Ptolemy.  Secretly, beneath the plaster, in granite, Sostraus inscribed his own name.  As long as the king lived, he saw his name on the building.  With time, however, the sea wore away the name of Ptolemy, leaving eventually the name of Sostratus.

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J. Michael Shannon is professor of preaching at Cincinnati Bible College in Cincinnati, OH.