Have you ever made a decision based on bad information?
This is what happened to Haman in the book of Esther. Esther had earned the kings heart. She was described as ‘lovely in form and feature’. The way it is explained, Esther won what appeared to be a beauty pageant for the place of becoming the Queen.
Haman was already angry at Mordecai because Mordecai refused to acknowledge Haman’s status. He had already been stewing in his anger for some time and trying to come up with ways to get rid of Mordecai and the whole population of Jews.
Haman once again passes the courts’ gate, and Mordecai once again refuses to acknowledge him. Although he’s in high spirits because Queen Esther invited only him and the king to a fancy feast, Haman chose to focus on and fuel his anger because of Mordecai. He goes home and calls his wife and friends to come together. He asks their advice of what to do with Mordecai the Jew, because he refuses to bow to him. This has so much to do with his ego. Instead of his friends telling him to drop his foolish ego, they add fuel to the fire. They advise him to build a gallow seventy-five feet high and to request from the king that Mordecai be hanged on it.
This idea ‘delighted’ Haman and he had the gallows built.
But God had a different plan.
We find out later, that once again, Haman’s ego got him in trouble (thinking the king was referring to himself), and ultimately caused his own humiliation and death on the gallows he had built for Mordecai.
Whose advise are you listening to? Does it sound like it comes from someone with wisdom and understanding or does it sound like they are trying to boost your ego and tell you what you want to hear?
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for friends with wisdom. Lord, help us to be discerning with who we share our thoughts with. Help them to council us with things that are of you, even if it’s not what we want to hear. Help us to ultimately make wise decisions that will glorify you.