AN ANESTHETIC FOR A NAGGING CONSCIENCE
Spurred on by the king’s command, the couriers went out to present the edict that had been issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to celebrate but the city of Susa was bewildered. Esther 3:15
The king granted Haman the power to enact a course of action against the Jews. He even gave him his signet ring so that the king’s signature would be applied to Haman’s royal documents. All Jews, men, women, and children would be killed. The massacre would take place on a single day, eleven months from the signing of the decree. What did Haman and the king do upon issuing the Jews’ death sentence? They sat down to drink! Perhaps Haman didn’t want the king to be sober and rational, fearing that he might come to second-guess his judgment of trusting Human to such extreme degrees. Whatever the reason, they turned to a narcotic to further numb whatever conviction was left.
Convictions cannot be trusted when they are not in submission to the Spirit of God. While most of mankind has a sense of right and wrong, his moral compass will fail at some point. He will wield his power in destructive ways, often unknowingly, and leave a wake of bodies in his path. How many of us have suffered under careless leadership that looks like this?
- A boss instituted new policies that were beneficial only to him. The rest strained under the yoke while he enjoyed a payoff of some kind.
- A government, plump with extraneous programs, taxed the people to pay for their self- absorption. The people languished under the burden while the government fattened.
- A parent, stressed by life, made a critical decision that caused all in the household to suffer.
Oftentimes, those who wear power so recklessly know they have acted unwisely. But instead of owning their mistakes and making restitution, they are like King Xerxes and his advisor, Haman, who sought for a way to sedate their failing consciences.
If I bear the consequences of others’ poor choices today, God has not forgotten me. All is not lost. What Satan planned for evil, God can still redeem for good.
If I am the one who holds the scepter of influence, may I be like Solomon and thirst for wisdom. God will show me how to make decisions that characterize His perfect leadership.
I will use power today in a way that affects other so I submit my conscience to You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Originally published Thursday, 11 April 2019.
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