Tim Keller | April 29, 2007
Haman, the enemy of Queen Esther, is one of the most vivid case studies in the Bible of unchecked pride. We learn three things from the account of Haman: 1) The character of pride; 2) The deadliness of pride; 3) The cure for pride.
In the story of Esther, Haman’s actions show us what pride looks like and how it can hurt us. This story can teach us about the dangers of pride and how to overcome it. If we understand these lessons, we can apply them to our own lives and become better people.
1. What pride looks like
Haman, even though he was in a high position, wanted everyone to respect him. This showed his deep sense of pride and focus on himself. Pride can make us feel either superior or inferior. Humility, on the other hand, means not always needing approval or respect and caring about others. Sometimes, the devil tempts us to focus too much on ourselves, either making us feel too proud or too worthless, which can lead to not caring about others.
2. How pride can hurt us
Pride is a dangerous sin because it can make us do foolish things. It can stop us from learning from our mistakes, leading us to make even more mistakes. Pride can also cause other sins like bitterness, fear, and inability to make decisions. It’s hard to recognize and overcome because it’s so deceptive. The most dangerous kind of pride is religious pride, which can make us feel self-righteous or hopeless. Even when we try to obey God or do good things, we can unknowingly become more proud.
3. How to overcome pride
Haman wanted honor and glory, but his plan to embarrass Mordecai ended up embarrassing him instead. This shows a common theme in the Bible: those who are proud will be humbled, and those who are humble will be lifted up. Like Haman, we often seek validation in the wrong places, which shows why we need to be humble and realize our pride. The best way to feel truly valuable and at peace is to understand the love of Jesus Christ. He gave up his glory for us, teaching us to live for others, not just for ourselves.
April Book Offer
Tim Keller’s How to Find God set of three short books on birth, death, and marriage addresses these key milestones in your life and shows you how the Scripture teaches us to face each one with God’s help. They are books of pastoral care, designed for specific life situations you or someone you know will go through.