Esther 5:9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai.
One of the books I’m currently reading is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a… by Mark Manson. Be forewarned—there is language even in the title, but the concepts he talks about, I think, are pretty important, and Haman’s behavior in this chapter illustrates a concept that Manson just discussed in the chapter I was reading—we choose what we value and we choose and are responsible for how we react.
Esther 5:10b-11 …Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials.
Haman, admittedly, has a lot going for him. Just read verses 11-12, and he gives us a list of amazing perks in his life. But the fact that he allows Mordecai’s behavior to negate all those pluses tells us a great deal about what Haman values and how he chooses to react, and it is definitely not pretty.
Esther 5:12 “And that’s not all…I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she invited me along with the king tomorrow.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the ability to choose for ourselves what we value, what defines success to us, and for the ability to choose how we react to the things and people in our lives. Help us to be wiser than Haman in these choices. Help us to focus on values that draw us closer to You. Help us to choose to respond in ways that help others to see Your light. Draw us closer. Amen.
Esther 5:13 “But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”
Have a blessed day. I love you.