Lose Your But - November 7,
2001
This week I came across two people in the Bible with
totally opposite views of life. The first was the bad guy
in the book of Esther, the rich and rather nasty Haman
(boo, hiss). You may remember that the good guy, Mordecai
(older cousin and father figure to Esther) refused to
kneel and give honor to anyone but God. In Esther
5:10b-13 we read:
Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife,
Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many
sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how
he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials.
"And that's not all," Haman added. "I'm the only person
Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet
she gave. And she has invited me along with the king
tomorrow. But all this gives me no satisfaction as long
as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's
gate."
Haman seems to have every reason to be happy until we
get to that last line and see a little three letter word
that changes everything ... but. Haman has so much going
for him, why should he care about what one old Jewish guy
does? It's no big deal, and yet it draws his focus away
from the good and steals his joy. When you are going
through your list of blessings, anything that follows the
word but is your joy-stealer. Every one of us is showered
with more blessings than we could possibly count. Just
that fact that you are reading this devotion shows that:
1. You can see, 2. You have the mental capacity to read,
3. You have sufficient financial resources to own a
computer (or you've got a friend who loves you enough to
print this off for you), 4. You have the opportunity to
learn timeless, life-changing truths from my deep end
ever-so-humble thoughts (OK, Pam is laughing on that last
one.) Seriously, your blessings are endless, and yet I
bet there is at least one negative that captures your
attention and steals away your joy. It can be as small as
Kool-Aid spilled all over your desk (been there), or as
big as the name on a cold metal grave marker (been there,
too).
In stark contrast we find the words of Paul as he
writes to the Philippians: "I know what it is to be in
need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have
learned the secret of being content in any and every
situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in
plenty or in want." - Phil 4:12. Did you notice what is
missing from this verse? There is no but. Paul says his
surroundings don't determine his attitude. He has found a
secret that he shares in verse 13: "I can do everything
through him who gives me strength." See the focus? It's
not on situations, it is on God.
I'm afraid that too often we live like Haman when we
should be living like Paul. I challenge you to take those
situations and circumstances that are stealing your joy
and turn them over to God right now. Don't be like Haman
and get "hung up" on the negatives. (If you didn't get
that bad pun, you need to read Esther again!) It's time
to lose your buts and live a life that shows true joy -
the joy of Christ.
