Whose kingdom are you building? In the story of Esther, we see Haman desiring to gain greater honors and glory. Haman is on a prideful ego trip. He convinced King Xerxes to write a decree ordering that all bow the knee to him. When Mordecai, a Jew, refused to bow, Haman was enraged.
Haman bragged about all his accomplishments but couldn’t enjoy them because Mordecai wouldn’t bow. Esther 5: 11bHe bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials. 12 Then Haman added, “And that’s not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!” 13 Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.” [1]
Haman’s Kingdom Begins to Crumble
Haman had worked hard to glorify himself in the Persian empire. But he was working for himself and not for the betterment of the kingdom. When the king asked Haman how to honor a man, Haman assumed it was for him. Thus, Haman named everything he wanted: a king’s robe, a ride on the king’s horse, and people bowing down for him.
If the public observed Haman with these things, they would assume Xerxes had named him as his successor. Personally, I think this is what Haman desired. However, in a reversal, the king doesn’t honor Haman but Mordecai. Haman’s ego and the kingdom he had worked so hard for crumbled as he had to honor the one he wanted to kill.
Motives Matter
In the story of Esther, Haman’s motives to excel were self-serving. We can see similar things today, even amongst believers. There is nothing wrong with excelling at our jobs or working hard to win more business. In fact, we are to be good stewards of the gifts God has given us. But the motive behind bettering ourselves matters.
If the primary reason for excelling is to gain recognition for us, the motive is selfish. This may be termed building your own kingdom. It is an ego trip that leads to arrogance. This can even happen in the church, where leaders build fancy buildings and inflate their attendance to bring glory to themselves instead of God.
Build God’s Kingdom
God has given us gifts to be used to build His kingdom. Jesus is our model for building God’s kingdom. Matthew 20: 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”[2]
When we do things to glorify God, then selfish, egotistical motivations are left behind. Our work becomes a service to others and God. We aren’t worried about what others think but about what God thinks. In the light of eternity, it is only God’s opinion that matters.
Whose kingdom are you building? To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mordecai-honored
[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.