Daily PresenceSample

Everybody loves a good drama like Romeo and Juliet. Generations of two families that hate each other viciously. All because one time, many many years ago something happened. Someone was wronged as a member of the other family and tension arose between them. Throughout generations, no one in either family is able to think of anyone other than themselves. That is of course, until the wide-known Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Romeo and Juliet were able to see past the generational hurt to find love in the midst of ill feelings.

When we read today’s story we are presented with two characters that similarly have generational hurt, Mordecai, and Haman. Mordecai, known as ‘the Jew’ would not bow down to Haman the Agagite. This created incredible anger on Haman’s part toward all the Jews, wanting to destroy them all. Despite this, the story does not start here. If you go back to the times of Saul (1 Samuel 15:3), Saul was ordered to destroy all of the Amalekites. Haman was a descendant of the Amalekites. So, this is not a one-time event, this is a drama between two groups of people that have been going on for generations.

Thinking too much about yourself can be very dangerous. It has a way of blinding you to everything going on around you. His generational anger blinded Haman to the point of wanting to destroy every single Jew. People often say that selfishness has nothing to do with thinking too highly of yourself, but everything to do with thinking too much or often about yourself. Today, I hope you don’t think too much about yourself, but that you think highly of yourself. There is no higher identifying thought than that of a child of God. You are a child of God, and as an ambassador of God, you also think about and love others. Don’t think too much about yourself like the Capulets, Montagues, or Haman. Rather, think about yourself in a healthy way that enables you to love, forgive, reconcile, and care for others.

John 13:35 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”