Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. So Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, July 8, 2026
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Mordecai had never sought this kind of power. At least not in the story. Once again, his humility and service saved the king’s life and he did not expect anything in return. But when all was said and done, and the king realized that he had made a poor choice in having Haman be his side-kick, he made restitution to the one Haman had harmed the most by giving him what Haman’s ambition had craved.
I wonder how that relationship played out—a Jewish man in an occupied territory serving the occupying King. Did Mordecai simply acquiesce to anything Ahasuerus wanted in order to keep things peaceful? Or was he willing to stick his neck out for the underdog, as he had when he had no power? It reminds me of something I’ve heard about Abraham Lincoln—that he filled his cabinet and advisors with people who didn’t agree with him. He didn’t want a bunch of “yes men” surrounding him. He wanted to debate. To dig. To get to the truth that would be the best for everyone. One an hope that Mordecai wouldn’t be afraid to speak truth to the power of the King, no matter what the consequences. We could really use some of that right now in the U.S.
The call, here, is to be completely honest with ourselves about our motives in any interaction, so that we don’t compromise God’s call to love and serve in order to maintain the kind of peace that it simply a lack of conflict, rather than the true, enduring peace, which is justice.
Am I tempted to keep out of conflicts even when it would be important for me to speak up?
