Today’s reading: Esther 5:9-14; Proverbs 8:13
Haman provides us with a detailed picture of being prideful in Esther 5:9-14. There’s no missing that he was completely consumed with himself. When I read verses 11-12 where Haman is telling his friends and his wife how important and special he is, I found myself thinking “He sure thinks he’s ‘all that.'” Haman is so full of himself that he can’t tolerate that Mordecai isn’t impressed with who he is, or fearful about not worshipping him for his greatness. So in this self-focused, self-worshipping state of mind, Haman’s pride gets the best of him, driving him to put a plan in motion for Mordecai’s public execution. But as we’ll see when we get to Esther 6, Haman’s pride proves to be his downfall.
None of us are immune to pride. In fact, pride seems to come quite naturally to us (and I am speaking from experience). So while it’s easy for us to shake our heads and point our fingers at Haman, if we’re honest, we’re all capable of thinking and acting just like him because we’re imperfect humans with a sinful nature. But pride doesn’t have to be part of our life because we have God and we can overcome with His help!
In the past, how has pride impacted your thinking and actions? What helps you combat prideful thoughts when you recognize them? What did you notice or learn from this passage about the dangers and the blinding effect of pride? Tami
Source: Tami’s Blog
