Have you ever done something you immediately regretted? When I was in middle school, I let a friend of mine copy my math homework. Our teacher caught my friend with both of our homework packets in hand and called us into the hallway to yell at us for cheating. I remember feeling embarrassed, ashamed, and defensive. When my friend asked to copy my homework, I let her because I wanted to please her. I knew it was wrong, but I cared more about what my friend would think of me if I said no. Looking back on that experience, it was God’s grace that our teacher caught us cheating so that I could be reminded of the goodness in fearing Him rather than man.
In the book of Esther, we see the story of an evil court official, Haman, whose hatred and selfishness drove his actions. When Mordecai refused to bow to Haman, Haman sought to annihilate the Jewish people. Esther, as a Jew, went before the king and pleaded with him to save her people while also revealing Haman to be the source of the evil plot. Esther received favor from the king, and he granted her a request. Haman was put to death on the gallows where he ironically had planned to hang Mordecai. The king in turn exalted Mordecai to a higher position, and the Jews are given permission to defend themselves. God saw Mordecai and Esther and worked in them to bring deliverance to His people.
Just before Haman’s death, he begged Esther to save him. Proverbs 26:27 says, “The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone–it will come back on him.” Haman dug himself a pit by his wicked schemes against the Jews, and he faced the ultimate consequence.
You may read through the book of Esther and wonder why God’s people had to go through these trials. We may not always understand God’s sovereign plan, but we can trust His perfect character. It is God who judges (Psalm 75:7). He lifts up the humble and casts the wicked to the ground (Psalm 147:6). Our motivations may be selfish and sinful, but God’s motivation is always love (1 John 4:16). When we can’t understand His plan, we must trust that He is still working all things for the good of those who love Him to conform them more into the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29).
If you are a follower of Jesus, we get to live in obedience to Him where great joy is found. We’re capable of sinful acts just like Haman. But by God’s grace, He sent a perfect Sacrifice to pay for all of our sins. Christ Jesus is our hope and redemption, and He was part of God’s plan all along. When we fail and mess up, God is still there, viewing us as His righteous children who have been adopted into His family by the blood of Jesus. Friend, let us rejoice today that God has a better way for us to live in an eternal relationship with Him!
