Saturday, February 22, 2014

No Other Reason

Queen Esther fidgeted on the lovely couch, afraid she would damage the exquisite silk. She was still getting used to such finery. She exhaled in relief when she saw Mordecai stroll into the chamber. Immediately brightening she exclaimed, "How wonderful to see you! I've missed you dearly!"

Mordecai held his finger up to his lips, but after glancing around, stole a quick hug from the cousin he had raised like a daughter. "Unfortunately my dear, this is not a social call. There is a plot to kill the king."

Esther gasped, "We must tell the king at once!"

"You must go, dear Esther, you are the queen. Tell his majesty that the traitors are  Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guard the threshold."

Esther sent a note to King Ahasuerus immediately. When he summoned her, she told him all that she knew of the plot, and gave Mordecai full credit for the discovery.

"When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king." Esther 2:23

Based on Esther 2:21-22

When Mordecai discovered this heinous plot, he told Esther immediately. He didn't stop to ponder if this would help his social agenda. He didn't wonder if this would make him well known in the kingdom, or if he would be granted some title like, "Mordecai the Heroic." For crying out loud, he didn't even tell the king himself; Esther did. He did it without want of recognition or gain. He did it because it was the right thing to do. Mordecai didn't get recognition for his good deed until later (Esther 6). Truthfully, the king forgot. Mordecai was eventually recognized with a humorous twist that only God could ordain.

"So Haman came in, and the king said to him, 'What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?' And Haman said to himself, 'Whom could the  king delight to honor more than me?' Esther 6:6

God sees everything we do, and He sees our hearts. If we have a "Me! Me! Me!" attitude like Haman, then we will fall.

"So the last will be first, and the first last." Matthew 20:16

We make so many decisions based on how people will perceive us afterwards. That's never been the point. When did doing the right thing turn into a glory fest? Have an unassuming attitude like Mordecai. The heart that says, "I'm not doing this for me."

Rage surged through him. Haman wanted to spit at Mordecai. After escorting him through the city, proclaiming his praises, he wanted nothing more then to see him dead. The end of the Jews couldn't come fast enough. Haman hissed, "How did you know?"

Mordecai raised an eyebrow at him. "How did I know what, Haman."

He bristled at the use of his name by this piece of scum. "How did you know this would win you favor with the king?"

Mordecai shook his head, "I did it for the king. No other reason."

Let's do it all for our King. No other reason.


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