Reading Esther. Getting ready for Sunday’s talk.
What do you think?
Would Mordecai have bowed to Haman if he’d known that the outcome of his decision to stay standing…
- jeopardized the life of Queen Esther
- triggered a potential genocide, and
- almost sent him to the gallows?
Standing up for seemingly minor convictions can lead to major consequences. When is it better to bow?
Mordecai was a man of conviction. When you have that much faith or belief in something you aren’t going to think about something, you are just going to do it. The people around the world that are being martyred they know what will come for proclaiming Jesus, yet the proclaim him without hesitation. You just have to do what is right and leave the outcome in God’s hands.
While bowing may have seemed like the pragmatic thing to do, had he been given foreknowledge he also would have known that refusing to take the easy path would have resulted in glorifying God as He delivered Israel and brought Haman to a fitting end. The lesson I see is that pragmatism is not always or perhaps rarely, Gods way. Love the page Steve, glad you are well.
From the context of the story, Mordecai’s actions were meant to be defiant, so I don’t think the chance of going to the gallows bothered him much. He appeared to be in a Daniel kind of mood. But I’d be surprised if he’d have been so willing to endanger Esther or the Hebrews.
But just like Jesus delayed His journey until Lazarus’ death was assured, God allows us to negotiate situations we couldn’t have predicted so He is glorified in the end.
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