Take a Seat!

“Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.” (Es 5:9 AV)

This is not the first time Mordecai refused to stand for a prince.  He had done this before.  In fact, it was his refusal to pay the respect Haman demanded that resulted in a decree that allowed the extermination of the Jews.  Haman had manipulated the king into decreeing a law that on a particular date, all who wished to could slaughter the Jews and take whatever spoil they wished.  The law of the Medes and Persians cannot be altered.  Once sealed by the ring of the king, not even the king can change it.  Therefore, what follows is even more impressive.  There is a saying we use; poking the bear.  It means to agitate an enemy that is already formidable and unlikely to yield.  It means to agitate an adversary that has built in advantage.  By poking the bear, you are making a foe even more angry.  This foe is unlikely to lose.  It would be akin to David taunting Goliath.  Not smart.  This is what Mordecai was doing.  At least from Haman’s perspective.  Mordecai was doing what Mordecai had always done.  He refused to show respect due a sovereign to a prince with an ego.  The odd thing to me, however, is why not try to lessen the impact of the coming conflict?  At least that is what compromise might do.

Compromise is a funny thing.  It is founded upon lies.  If Mordecai learned his lesson, wouldn’t you think he might stand for Haman and pay that respect in the hope he might limit the damage to come?  That would be my first response.  Lesson learned.  Haman is not backing down.  This is an unwinnable battle of the wills.  He is a prince and I am not.  I have occasioned the death of countless countrymen because I was too stubborn to show respect to a ruler.  After all, what eternal consequence would it be if I stood regarding a leader who didn’t deserve it?  I’ll cry uncle and you can tell those who would have the better of the Jews to lay off.  Maybe Haman would find the kindness in his heart to let us go.  All these are lies.  There are assumptions and not facts.  They are dreams and hopes vacant in Haman’s heart.  Compromise would have Mordecai stand in the vain hope that it would change what was coming.  Standing would have been a surrender of the will to a person who did not deserve it.  Standing would have been a vain show that brought nothing by loss of all credibility to Mordecai.

There is such an idea of standing on principle regardless of the outcome.  What is even more impressive is when the saint stands on a principle, knowing he has already lost.  That is what Mordecai did.  He sat while Haman passed on principle.  It is like the wrestling matches my brother Christopher and I had.  He was two years older than me, six inches taller, and outweighed me by twenty percent.  He tried to pin me.  I tried to get the best of me.  But one thing I would not do.  I would not cry uncle.  Even if it meant bodily harm, he would not have the satisfaction of breaking my will.  He could have everything else, but not that.  That is where Mordecai was.  Haman could destroy the people of Israel.  But he could never break their spirit or will.  They will defend to the death the right to be who God called them to be.  He would sit in that gate and refuse to acknowledge a self-serving prince who disrespected the king.  No way was Mordecai giving to Haman the one thing he could control.