Haman'a Honor

25Sep
The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. So the king’s servants told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” The king said, “Let him come in.” So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor, let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and a horse that the king has ridden, with a royal crown on its head. Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials; let him robe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him conduct the man on horseback through the open square of the city, proclaiming before him; ‘Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor.’” Then the king said to Haman “Quickly, take the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so to the Jew Mordecai who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.”

-Esther 6:4-10


I love the story of Esther in the Old Testament. Esther was a Jewish woman, and Mordecai’s niece, who becomes queen of Persia and saves her people from genocide. It is still celebrated today at the Jewish holiday, Purim.


One of the interesting characters in the story is Haman. Haman is the second highest official in the kingdom, second only to King Ahasuerus. However, his pride, arrogance, and lack of humility will not let him be happy with his success simply because the Jew Mordecai who sits at the king’s gate will not bow down to him. This makes him so miserable he hatches a plan to eliminate all the Jewish people from the kingdom and, more immediately, to hang Mordecai.


King Ahasuerus, however, has been reminded that Mordecai potentially saved his life by exposing a plot to assassinate him. He has decided that he wants to honor Mordecai somehow.


As we read today, when Haman is asked for the best way for the king to honor someone, he can’t imagine that it is not he himself that the king would want to honor. That pride and arrogance take over and he designs the ceremony he would want for himself.  


I “Googled” Bible verses on humility and found Proverbs 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble.” This is invaluable advice that I need to remind myself of from time to time and keep that pride in check with humility.


Musical Reflection- From the Dust - Paul Zach


O Lord, help us as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

-Adapted from Colossians 3:12

HumilityPrideWisdom

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