MARCH 22

Esther 6:4-11

PRIDE AND PRESUMPTION
King Ahasuerus was eager to reward Mordecai for saving his life. At the same time, Haman was waiting in the king’s court in the early hours of the morning, to seek the king’s permission to hang Mordecai. What an interesting contrast! The king asked who was in the court, as Haman was the only one there, he was called in.

The king asked Haman how he should reward a man that he was pleased with. Upon hearing this, Haman presumptuously thought that the king wanted to honour him! What is presumption? It is to assume something to be true out of pride or arrogance, without reasonable or proven basis. Haman had no reason to think that the king was referring to him. But he was so proud, he immediately thought of himself and listed the ways he wanted to be honoured. In a humourous twist, the king tells Haman to make haste and do all these things to reward Mordecai!

Haman had to clothe Mordecai in the king’s robes and a royal crown, and accompanied Mordecai as he rode on the king’s horse through the city streets, proclaiming that this was the man the king was delighted to honour. Instead of hanging Mordecai, Haman honoured him. God saved Mordecai and rewarded him, while Haman tasted the sour effects of being presumptuous.

Dear child, don’t you wonder how Haman must have felt when the king revealed it was Mordecai who was to be exalted, not him? It must have been such a shock to this prideful man. Are you like Haman? Have you harbored such thoughts? Perhaps you excel in one subject and assume you’d always top the class? Or you always take a certain seat in JW class and assume others will have to give in to you, getting angry when someone else takes that spot?

Below are some other examples of presumptuous sins. Perhaps you can even think of more. If you have sinned in these, pray for God to forgive you.
1. Doing things your way based on your own liking, presuming others will agree.
2. Making unkind comments about others, and presuming they would be okay and laugh it o .
3. Giving yourself excuses to commit a certain sin, and presuming that God will pardon you. (e.g. "as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone", "I’m doing this for a good cause")

Thought: Being presumptuous is a sin of pride.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, help me to guard my thoughts from pride and from being presumptuous. I pray that Haman’s example will be a warning to me, that will create the fear of God in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.