Haman was sure that he was the one the king wanted to honor. So he replied, "Your Majesty, if you wish to honor a man, have someone bring him one of your own robes and one of your own horses with a fancy headdress. Have one of your highest officials place your robe on this man and lead him through the streets on your horse, while someone shouts, `This is how the king honors a man!'" The king replied, "Hurry and do just what you have said! Don't forget a thing. Get the robe and the horse for Mordecai the Jew, who is on duty at the palace gate!" Haman got the king's robe and put it on Mordecai. He led him through the city on the horse and shouted as he went, "This is how the king honors a man!"
(Esther 6:6b-11, CEV)
Oh, how the mighty have fallen!
Haman is so very full of himself. He is so sure the king wants to honor him, Haman tells the king how he wants to be honored. The king’s robe and horse. Being led through the street with someone shouting “This is how the king honors a man!”
Everyone would see how revered Haman is.
Little did he know … In moments, Haman is enrobing his mortal enemy, Mordecai, and putting him on that kingly horse. And to make matters worse, he is the one leading Mordecai through the streets.
Solomon could have been writing about Haman with the proverb, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling (16:18).
I know I can be prideful, and Haman’s story is a cautionary tale. Pride left unchecked can lead to, at the very least, stumbling. At worst? Destruction.
Lord, help me to be humble. Help me to “esteem others better than” myself (Phil. 2:3). Help me not to let pride cause me to stumble. Amen.
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