From Bible accounts, we see several people who started on a promising note but ended tragically. King Uzziah was one of them. He mounted the throne at the tender age of 16. In 2 Chronicles 26:4, we read that “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord”. His tragic end is captured in 2 Chronicles 26:21 where he died a leper. Solomon loved the Lord at the beginning of his reign but ended with many foreign women who swayed him from his first ways.

The safeguard against a tragic end is to deal with little foxes as they come. We must conquer temptation before it becomes a sin.

In the New Testament, Judas is a classic case of starting well and ending poorly. He had a promising ministry like the other disciples. He was among the twelve men sent out by Jesus on a gospel mission, equipped with power and authority to heal the sick and cast out devils. You can gauge their enthusiasm after a mission. However, as our text indicates, he had a miserable ending. He returned the money he had made from betraying Jesus before taking his own life. What was Judas’ problem? He made room for the devil. Judas’ downhill journey did not begin with betraying Jesus. It started way back when he started stealing from the purse. He failed to deal with his greed and things only grew worse. The safeguard against a tragic end is to deal with little foxes as they come. We must conquer temptation before it becomes a sin.