Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Then the king said to Haman, ‘Quickly, take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to the Jew Mordecai who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, July 3, 2026
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Ha ha. Poor Haman. He assumed the King wanted to honor him and so he gave a laundry list of things that ought to be done for whomever the king had in mind. And then—surprise!—it was actually Haman’s most hated adversary, Mordecai! And because he had to do what the King said, Haman had to suck it up and make a big show of honoring his enemy because said enemy had once saved the king’s life.
This is where ego trips us up. Mordecai lives a humble life of service. He cares about people—even the king who rules over his nation. Haman only cares about himself, about gaining power and influence, about being honored. He doesn’t see—or perhaps just doesn’t care—how his selfishness and self-seeking harm those around him.
Frankly I see a lot of this all around me in our modern culture. I could go on a rant about it, but I won’t. I’m sure you see it in action, too. I think the call for us embedded in this text is to recognize how humility, love, and service contribute to the flourishing of others, but also of ourselves, and that if we don’t see our own selfishness and assumption of superiority, we may be headed for a whopping serving of humble pie.
When have I failed to see my own selfishness in a situation? How did I make amends?
