Doing the right thing with our rights

Scripture Read: Esther 3:2-5 All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. ³ Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” ⁴ Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage.  

Application: It is noted that Mordecai uses being a Jew as the understood basis for not obeying an edict requiring all to bow down. It is also interesting that he revealed exactly what he told Esther not to reveal. Yet this section really brings to light two sins that so many of us wrestle with. The funny thing is they both have the same root problem. I guess all sin has the root problem of … pride, but these two also are connected by another root sin. The King’s servants are filled with jealousy toward Mordecai because he is doing something they either wished they had the courage to do or were mad because if they have to bow and pay homage, everyone should! This is the jealousy all legalist are driven by. They are never content to do what they do just because they believe that is what they should do. They make it their duty to make sure everyone else does it too! This sin has wreaked much damage in the Body of Christ for hundreds of years. Haman also falls into this sin, but it is a jealousy driven by being offended that he did not get what was due him. We need to seriously look at this point – because the enemy gets us off on debating whether or not if it was our right or not. We must avoid this trap! Whether or not we are in the right or not – it never justifies wrong reaction! Not only do we offend God – which is the most important – we also place ourselves into a very dangerous place where emotions controlling us can entrap us. We know this story and that is what happens. Father, we need to look at how we handle our reactions when someone denies us our rights. If we hold our rights tightly we will react with jealousy there by bringing shame to You and most likely be entrapped by our reaction.

* Meditation Questions: What do you do when someone offends you? When you know you are right but you are treated as if wrong, what do you do? When you are not given what is due you, how do you feel? What do you do with that emotion? What do you think s the balance between your rights and God’s testimony?