Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther Day 5

Read Esther 2-6

Today's Devotion -- Esther 5:9-14
9 Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king's gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.
Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11 Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. 12 "And that's not all," Haman added. "I'm the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13 But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate."
14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows built, seventy-five feet high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with the king to the dinner and be happy." This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the gallows built. (NIV)taken from www.biblegateway.com

It is always interested to see how people react in different situations. Haman seems like a man whose mood is based almost completely on the circumstances of his day. He was in a great mood because he had been honored to dine with the king and queen. But as soon as someone didn't show the respect Haman believed was due him, it ruined his day.

But he was a man who knew how to turn things around. He felt disrespected and maybe insecure, so he pulled together people he knew would tell him what he wanted to hear and he started bragging to them. What an exciting party, huh? He pulled the right folks together, because they 'delighted' him with their suggestions that fed right into his ego.

It's easy to let the moods and actions of others dictate our mood. And I bet each of us know people who seem to get pleasure from making us miserable (whether we deserve it or not).

God asks us to go beyond worldly emotions and to obtain our joy from him. Today, when someone tries to crush your spirit (and unfortunately it will probably happen), think about how you will respond. Remember that God looks at things differently than man and draw security from his love, not from the opinions of others!