it's time to say, you have a BIG BUT!

Crimes typically fall into two categories...
commission and omission.

Commission is the crime of
doing something wrong.
that causes harm or offense.

Omission is the crime of
not doing something right.

Commission is typically
not that difficult to understand.
For example, if you steal something
or harm someone.
That is a crime of commission.

But omission is a bit more tricky.
It occurs when you knowingly and
intentionally fail to act or do something
which if it had been done, would have
prevented harm or offense.

Like if you hear that voice inside
that tells you to "do the right thing,"
but don't do it, and someone is harmed,
that is a crime of omission.

And as we continue to read in this,
the book of Esther, we find both crimes
being tested in the hearts of men.

As we enter the story today,
Queen Esther has requested
King Xerxes and Haman
dine with her at a feast
where she bring a
petition before the king.

Haman is overjoyed,
that he is invited
​to such an exclusive event.

Haman was a happy man
as he left the banquet!
But when he saw Mordecai
sitting at the palace gate,
not standing up or trembling
nervously before him,
Haman became furious.
However, he restrained himself
and went on home.

Then Haman gathered together
his friends and Zeresh, his wife,
and boasted to them about
his great wealth and his many children.
He bragged about the honors
the king had given him and how
he had been promoted over all
the other nobles and officials.
Then Haman added,
“And that’s not all!
Queen Esther invited only me and
the king himself to the banquet
she prepared for us.
And she has invited me to dine with her
and the king again tomorrow!”

Then he added,
“But this is all worth nothing
as long as I see Mordecai the Jew
just sitting there at the palace gate.”
Esther 5:9-13 NLT

Have you ever had one of those days...
where everything seems to line up
just perfectly.
And you want to run home and
brag to your whole family about it
until you run into that one person
who drives you crazy?

That's how Haman felt about
Mordecai.
But this is all worth nothing
as long as I see Mordecai the Jew
just sitting there at the palace gate.

Haman was greatly blessed
by the king.
His life and career were going well.
He was being promoted and
succeeding at all he did.

Unfortunately,
Haman had a BIG BUT!
And he couldn't take his eyes off of it.

And I think all of us
at some time or another in life
lose sight of our many blessings
because we stop and focus on
our BIG BUT.

I mean, at least Haman restrained himself
on the way home as he passed Mordecai.
But once he got home to tell the family,
he had to be certain to complain to them
about how much Mordecai got under his skin.

And here is where I believe
one of the "omissions" could've happened.
Because any one of his family or friends
could have heard that still small voice inside
that said, "talk him down from this anger."

Anyone of these people listening
could have thought,
he's really going overboard,
focusing on this problem instead of
enjoying all the success he's having in life.

Even his wife, Zeresh...
as women, we have great influence over men.
What if she, in this moment had heard
somewhere inside, to tell him to let it go.

I'm not saying she definitely did.
But it's possible.
I know I've certainly heard that voice
and ignored it, thinking...
no one else is speaking up,
why should I?
I mean, I'll look and sound stupid.

Or maybe she worried
that her husband's anger
would turn toward her
if she tried to tell him he was wrong?

She could have had the influence
to talk Haman down from all this anger.
She had the perfect chance to tell him,
Yes, Haman, your BUT does look BIG today.

But that's not what happened.
Then his wife Zeresh
and all his friends said to him,
“Let a gallows be made,
fifty cubits high, and
in the morning suggest to the king
that Mordecai be hanged on it;
then go merrily with the king
to the banquet.”
And the thing pleased Haman;
so he had the gallows made.
Esther 5:14 NKJV

So Haman began to build the gallows...
and I'm assuming he had help.
Because by morning, it was finished.

And now his plan...
in the morning suggest to the king
that Mordecai be hanged on it;
then go merrily with the king
to the banquet.

Really?
Like that's a typical day.
Who does that?
Suggest a hanging
in the morning and then
go merrily to a banquet.
Haman has some weird friends.

But now, when he brushes off
all the sawdust of construction
and strolls to the palace with
a whistle in his step, I bet he takes
a nice long look back over his shoulder
to admire his night's work.

Yes, that'll do just fine.
And he enters the palace.

Little does he know that the king
has been unable to sleep all night
Probably due to the banging hammers
of gallow building next door.
Dang those neighbors!

And before Haman can get
his suggestion out,
the king has a question
and assignment for him.

(take time to read of it here,
for I have a different topic at hand.

You see Mordecai has challenged Esther
to go before the king and plead
for repeal of a law that Haman put in place.

Haman used his power and authority poorly,
sending out an edict over all the lands,
manipulating the king to agree to it.

And the letters were sent by couriers
into all the king’s provinces,
to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate
all the Jews, both young and old,
little children and women, in one day...
and to plunder their possessions.
Esther 3:13

And while most all of Haman's crimes
have been of commission,
those around him have been challenged
by voices inside as to whether to speak up...
or commit the crimes of omission.

But at this second banquet,
Esther finds her voice,
admits her heritage,
lays her life on the line,
and speaks out for her people
and for the burden of her heart.

Then Queen Esther answered and said,
“If I have found favor in your sight, O king,
and if it pleases the king,
let my life be given me at my petition,
and my people at my request.
For we have been sold, my people and I,
to be destroyed, to be killed,
and to be annihilated.
Had we been sold as male and female slaves,
I would have held my tongue,
although the enemy could never
​compensate for the king’s loss.”
Esther 7:3-4

In this single act of bravery,
she reveals the wickedness
in the heart of Haman,
frees a multitude from certain death,
and promotes Mordecai
to replace the soon to hang Haman
to a place of honor in the kingdom.

Esther listened to the still small voice.
Esther confessed her fear to God,
knowing that she had much to lose.
And yet, God proved mighty to save.

It is so important that we listen to,
and take time to tune-in to that
still small voice inside.

For it certainly can propel our lives
in the right direction...
where God leads and we follow.

And we will most likely
never know the complete impact
it can have on the lives around
and in the future,
if only we will be obedient.

His path,
His choices,
His will,
His purpose,
His strength,
His understanding,
His wisdom,
His way.

If I will speak up
and avoid these sins of omission,
I am more likely to avoid more dangerous
sins of commission as well.

Word of God
train me, today...
To stay connected to You in prayer,
not just talking, but listening for Your voice.

To take courage from You to act, to speak,
​to move in the direction You lead.