Majoring on the Mordecai’s
April 17, 2019
Sometimes, it is the “but when’s” which distract us from focusing on the most important things in life, and cause us to major on the minor things instead. Haman the Agagite, the main antagonist in the book of Esther, is a perfect example of someone who was “majoring on the minors” or what I refer to as “majoring on the Mordecai’s”.
9 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. (Esther 5: 9- ESV)
After leaving the palace one day, following a private feast with King Ahasuerus and Queen Esther, Haman was “joyful and glad of heart.” But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, where as usual, Mordecai did not pay homage to him, Haman’s joy quickly diminished and turned to wrath.
However, Haman was able to restrain himself long enough to arrive home and gather his wife and some friends together, so he could boast of some things. He boasted of his palatial promotions, pocketbook, progeny (ten sons are named in the book of Esther), and private parties (he was just attended a feast with the King and Queen and would return the next day to yet another private feast with them). Haman certainly had many major accomplishments in his lifetime about which to brag.
11 And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. (Esther 5:11-ESV)
But when he was finished all of his touting, Haman said:
13 Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate. (Esther 5:13-ESV)
Haman’s impressive resume, failed to satisfy, because Mordecai the Jew, would not pay homage to him. The “but when’s” caused Haman to take his eyes off the major issues in his life; sometimes, the “but when’s” cause us to do the same.
Such, is often our discontent, when we major on the minors, or on the “Mordecai’s” in our lives. All of God’s blessings, all of His good and perfect gifts, diminish in light of that one Mordecai we do not have. We major on the minors, or we major on Mordecai and lose sight of the most important things in life, and we lose sight of God’s estimation of our value.
We cannot major on the minor “but when’s” which derail our walk with the Lord. Instead, with a dogged focus, we must “fix” our gaze on Jesus.
Who or what is your Mordecai? On what Mordecai are you majoring?
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12: 2 NIV)