Uncomfortable S2 - Day 3

Esther 6:1 That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him. 2 In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king’s private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes. 3 “What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?” the king asked. His attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 “Who is that in the outer court?” the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared. 5 So the attendants replied to the king, “Haman is out in the court.” “Bring him in,” the king ordered. 6 So Haman came in, and the king said, “What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?” Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” 7 So he replied, “If the king wishes to honor someone, 8 he should bring out one of the king’s own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden—one with a royal emblem on its head. 9 Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king’s robes and led through the city square on the king’s horse. Have the official shout as they go, ‘This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!’” 10 “Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!” 11 So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king’s own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, “This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!” 12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated. 13 When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, “Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him.” 14 While they were still talking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.

This story is such a great misdirect. It begins one way, and then ends in another way entirely. It has always been a story that seemed like such divine retribution, yet it was almost tongue-in-cheek. Haman thinks the reward is his. However, it is given to Mordecai instead.
There have been times when I have been up for awards but didn’t receive them. I have even been up for jobs and didn’t get them. These are times of deep frustration, sadness, and disappointment that can be really hard to process.

We know that Haman deserved this little frustration, as he is the villain in the Biblical narrative, constantly manipulating things for his benefit and to the detriment of others. He is not a nice guy, a snake in the grass, as they say, and someone who has to be watched out for.

It makes sense that we take comfort in knowing that sometimes people get what they deserve. However, this might be different from how we should live our lives. We would need to learn how to be gracious in a situation like this, and we would also need to learn to be thoughtful in the discomfort that someone else feels.

JOURNAL

1. Have you ever been in an awkward situation where someone thought they were getting a gift, honor, or job and then didn’t? 
2. Has this ever happened to you? 
3. How do we help alleviate their feelings of awkwardness? 
4. What can you do to make someone feel more comfortable today?