"So Haman came in, and the king said to him, 'What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honour?' And Haman said to himself, 'Whom would the king delight to honour more than me?'" Esther 6:6
Hey Guys,
I've been slowly making my way through the book of Esther and came across a story familiar to perhaps many of you. In this hilarious encounter, Haman (the antagonist) believed the king intended to pay him honour when the king intended to honour Mordecai, Haman's enemy. Of course, Haman lists what he thought to be appropriate treatment for himself only to have his words backfire as he was promptly ordered to do for Mordecai everything he prescribed. The main point I pulled from this passage is the automatic assumption Haman made concerning who the king "delights to honour."
Can you relate to Haman's presumptuousness? Continuous belief that we are the object of other people's conversations/thoughts/moods (whether positive or negative) is an unhealthy and prideful preoccupation. The world does not revolve around us and assumptions to the contrary often lead to baseless conclusions. Our minds can turn misunderstandings into insults, platonic compliments into flirtation, and a general bad mood into bitterness specifically directed at our persons. It constantly amazes and saddens me how such assumptions can completely dictate how I view or act towards people as I hold grudges against phantom insults.
What's worse, after I've determined the assumption to be false, it often fails to change my attitude towards them! This suggests that my distaste is, more often than not, the fruit of my own sinfulness that predisposes me to hold untrue assumptions to begin with.
I am TOTALLY aware that people are not perfect. Some people in our lives ARE in fact annoying, or rude, or inconsiderate, or offensive, or racist, or hippocritical, or judgmental, or emotionally draining, or needy, or bad tempered, or controlling, or any spectrum of complaint you could possibly list about the human race. I think we should take wise steps to protect ourselves, but I also firmly believe that it is unfair to allow ourselves to think (or worse, to gossip) untrue things about these people in our lives.
Encouragement for the week: in humility consider the possibility that you might not be the center of everyone's world; be wary of baseless assumptions that so often colour our relationships in ugly shades; and may we extend grace to sinful humanity as recipients of God's grace towards our own sinful nature.
Have a happy Wednesday!
Edward
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour." Exodus 20:16
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3
Cutest puppy EVAR!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8G4YgQyEMk&feature=related
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