MARCH 20

Esther 5:9-14

THE MARKS OF A PROUD MAN

The queen invited Haman to a private banquet with the king! Wait, not just one, but two! He was extremely happy with himself. It suggested to him how great he was and how high he had risen in the empire. Queen Esther’s personal invitation inflated his already huge ego. But Mordecai remained a painful eyesore to Haman. He neither stood up nor moved for Haman, let alone bow down to him. On his way back from the first banquet, he saw Mordecai again and was filled with anger. Later when his wife and friends advised him that the solution was to build a gallows to hang Mordecai, it pleased Haman to build it that very night. (*Gallows are a construction linking a horizontal beam with 2 upright beams. It is designed to execute by hanging.)

Today’s reading shows us the marks of a proud man as evidenced in Haman. When he came home from the banquet, he immediately called his friends and wife together. After Mordecai’s indifference, Haman was itching to receive their admiration. Haman boasted of his riches, his many children (Haman had 10 sons), and how he was promoted by the king above all the princes. And to put a feather in his cap of achievements, he just attended a private banquet with queen Esther and the king. He was also invited to part 2 of the banquet the next day! Haman wouldn’t have guessed that these banquets were only leading to his end. He just couldn’t stop talking about himself!

It’s easy for us to point out how Haman had a high opinion of himself. But let’s be honest with ourselves too. How about us? Do your possessions and achievements make you happy? Are you also itching to boast about your latest gadget or toy, or maybe how well you are doing in life, or in school? Haman is not so far removed from our own sinful nature. We also like to think highly of ourselves and want others to think the same of us too.These are some marks of a proud person.

How does God describe one who speaks with pride? (Prov 14:3a)
                Q N N T B C E
Answer: ____________________
Thought: Am I a proud and boastful person?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, grant me sensitivity to the sin of pride. I pray that I will not think of myself more highly than I ought to think, but to think soberly. In Jesus’ name, Amen.