Haman’s Hatred

“When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.” – Esther 3:5-6 (NLT)

As I was rereading the story of Esther this morning, I came across the account of Haman, King Xerxes top official over all the land. The king had recently promoted him to the position, and Haman was so impressed with himself that he expected the people to immediately acknowledge his newfound status anytime he was around them.

Don’t you just love it when a nobody suddenly gets this notion that they’re a somebody and it becomes their sole mission in life to prove it to everybody? 

Back in the 90’s I was a salesman at a family-owned construction products company. Early one morning I came into my office to find a young fella sitting in my chair with his feet kicked up on my desk. Naturally this wasn’t something I particularly appreciated, so I asked him, “Who are you? And why are your feet on my desk?” He smirked and said, “I’m your new boss. And as of today, this desk, this seat, and this office are officially mine.” 

Apparently this guy never read the book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. But when your uncle owns the company and gives you your first job straight out of university, it’s easy to start thinking that you have just as much power and clout as he does. He would soon find out otherwise, as his uncle fired him not even a month later. His attitude had the entire sales force in a massive uproar. 

When power goes to our heads, something horrible happens to us. We become incredibly prideful, controlling, and manipulative. We begin seeing people as mere pawns on a chessboard, there to be used and, if needed, sacrificed to elevate our own standing. We become little kings in our own little kingdoms.

For Haman, his hatred for Mordecai was so bitter and extreme that he immediately extended that same hatred toward Mordecai’s people, his fellow Jews. If we’re not careful, that same power and pride can produce the same response inside of us. 

Jesus commands us to “Love our neighbors as ourselves” (Matthew 22:39). And should we ever forget what real love looks like in everyday practice, the apostle Paul gives us the biblical definition in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 

May it never be said of us that we saw ourselves more important than anyone else. So let us check our hearts at the door of God’s grace and forgiveness each morning, pocketing our pride. On the day of judgment we will all give an account of how well we loved others. 

Haman’s hatred led to his ultimate demise, and it will do the same to us.