The Simple Life

After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. Esther 3:1-2 (ESV)   God has made some things very clear, and bowing to anyone other than God is one of them. Mordecai was loyal to God first and foremost, and this loyalty affected his daily decisions.   Our intimate relationships shape all other relationships. When one gets married, there is a new union that dictates all the others. When we become members of God's family, we have our first loyalty to God, then to our family, and then to our friends.   In essence, there can be only one relationship that controls our lives. In this case, God controls all the relationships; therefore, all the relationships, at least those that matt...

After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Esther 2:1(ESV)   We should practice foresight more than hindsight, because foresight protects us. However, the problem with foresight is that sometimes we cannot see that clearly.   To have foresight, we need to spend time developing our foresight skills. Since experience is the best teacher, we can either gain experience ourselves or learn from the experience of others. Learning from our own experiences, as valuable as that is, can also be painful. Learning from others can be equally beneficial and far less painful.   We need to learn from others, whether those whose lives are outlined in the Bible or those we intentionally seek out in our daily lives. Kings had a hard time learning from anyone. Part of their problem was listening to the advice of those who wanted to please the king rather than giving the king good advice. Th...

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him. Esther  1:10-12  (ESV) When one's heart is merry with wine, all sorts of evil can happen. The prisons are full of those who were under alcohol's influence while committing crimes. Emergency Medical Personnel are busy every day tending to the emergencies caused by the overindulgence in alcohol.   The king was reduced to a powerful animal who wanted to show off the spoils of wealth and power by using rather than loving his wife. Queen Vashti was right to refuse him and was even ...

Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. And drinking was according to this edict: "There is no compulsion." For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. Esther 1:7-8 (ESV)   Ordering each man to do as he pleases is an order to bring disaster upon all who participate. It is never healthy to tell men to cast off all restraints and "enjoy" themselves, and anyone who is ever involved in "casting off restraint" will be proven a fool.   The king's wealth and power were on display, as was his lack of restraint so that all in his presence could legally and rightfully indulge. This is a formula for disaster. Drunk, wealthy, and influential people who define a good time as overindulging in anything is a formula for disaster.   The Godless cannot enjoy a life about others, and they long for a time when they can eat, drink, and ...

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. Esther 1:1-3 (ESV)   Ahasuerus was a Godless king with resources, power, and authority, and who wanted to party. The Godless can have wealth, power, and health, but lack the means of truly enjoying what they have. Usually, when the Godless attempt to have a good time, it becomes so about them that they begin to use others rather than love others. Using people is not loving people.   It is evident that rain falls on both the Godly and the Godless, but the Godly can find purpose and contentment in both, for it is a gift from their Father.   Those who love God and people will use their power, authority, and influence to demonstrate who God is and improve others' lives. Those who don't love God waste a valuable resourc...