Then Haman went out that day glad and
pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate and that he
did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against
Mordecai. Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and sent for his
friends and his wife Zeresh. Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his
riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had
magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the
king. Esther 5:9-11 NASB
What a conceited
person Haman was! Boasting before his family and friends about how great he was
and how tight he was with the King and Queen. Yet this did not satisfy him—Mordecai
still irked him. So he built a huge gallows right in front of his own home to
hang Mordecai—such arrogance to think that the King would let him hang whomever
he wished. He was so pleased with himself.
We need to watch
that we don’t become arrogant over our relationships and positions. Do we honor
ourselves more than others? I ask myself those questions. Paul wrote about having an attitude like Christ in Philippians,
Do nothing from selfishness or empty
conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than
yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also
for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in
Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard
equality with God a thing to be grasped…. Philippians 2:3-6 (NASB). Attitude
is the key. If like Paul said we don’t look out just for our own interests, but
consider others—go beyond ourselves—then we’ll have Christ’s attitude in mind.
Christ was ultimately obedient—even to death on the cross. Will we ever have to
be that obedient? Who knows—only God. There have been many martyrs down through
the ages and we have no promises that we won’t have to go through hard times or
even death for Christ. Who will separate
us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:35 (NASB). Don’t let anything separate you from your
love of God. In Jesus parable of the
sower and the seeds found in Mark it says, …In
a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places,
who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no
firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or
persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. Mark
4:16-17 (NASB). So don’t let bad
times or persecution get to you—remain strong in the Lord. Are you trying to
spend time everyday reading God’s word and praying to understand it?
Lord Jesus, help us to understand your word
and to apply it to our lives every day that we would have a good attitude
towards you and others.
© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
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