Antidote for the Poison of Envy
And Haman told them of the glory of his riches. 'Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.’ (Esther 5:11, 13 KJV)
Esth. 5:9-14; Prov. 14:30 and 23:17; I Cor. 13:4; Gal. 5:26
What is God Saying?
Ahasuerus (Xerxes) was the King of Persia, and during his reign, the Jewish nation was perilously close to annihilation, targeted by Haman, who had a deep hatred for the Jews. Haman bragged about his power. He talked about the honors the king bestowed on him and "the splendor of his riches,” but there was a restless fear in his heart that would not go away. As with many people who have reached the pinnacle of power, envy plagued him. He couldn't be content with all he had so long as Mordecai enjoyed the king's favor. "All this does me no good so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." Then, when Esther carries out a bold plan to stop Haman, in supreme irony, the king hangs him on the gallows he built for Mordecai.
How Does This Apply To Us?
Pride and envy are dangerous friends to have. The former blows us up with emptiness. The other fills us with a restless discontent. There is no future for envy. Those who envy are their own worst enemies. The backlash is inevitable. The gallows Haman designed for Mordecai turned out to be exactly his size. Envy is not an innocent toy. It is a poisonous weapon. Prayer is the best antidote and defense against the boomerang of envy.
Pray With Me
Loving Father, in Christ, You have given me riches. I don't want the dark clouds of envy to chill my heart. I don't want my spirit to be troubled by a restless discontent. To know the joy of the Lord, I must be confident and content in the riches of the Lord. To envy the condition of others is to doubt the wisdom of Your providence. To feel sorry for myself because I seem to lack favor is to question the sufficiency of Your grace. Help me to learn Paul's secret of joy: "For I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content." Haman knew the favor of the king but was still a miserable person. Lord, keep always before me this thought—being most blessed, I should be least envious, for You have "blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."
In Christ, indeed, and for His glory. Amen.
Moving On In The Life Of Prayer
Paul said, "I have learned in whatever state I am to be content" (Phil. 4:11). We can safely assume that he learned this through prayer. In prayer, we see the riches which are ours in Christ. In prayer, we are assured of being joint heirs with Christ. We are rich beyond all reckoning, but we will miss this fact if we are out of practice praying. The best antidote for the worst poison is prayer.
