So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, ² and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted. ”

³ Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. ⁴ For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”

⁵ King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

⁶ Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. ⁷ The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

⁸ Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. ⁹ Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!” ¹⁰ So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.

Dear God, I wonder at what point Haman figured out that this was not going to turn out well for him. Did he figure it out as soon as Esther started describing what was going to happen to her people, or did he not figure it out until he heard his name? And it doesn’t say it, but apparently Xerxes brought back the guards and Harbona because, as it said Haman had figured out, the king’s mind was made up.

I’m honestly not sure what to do with this story in terms of me and my own personal life except to say that it seems that what goes around does, indeed, come around—at least most of the time. It is a constant reminder to be mindful of what I am sending around. Am I sending around meanness and anger, or am I sending around kindness and love. Do I treat my family with harshness or gentleness? Do I treat my coworkers and clients with impatience or grace? Even though the answer might be I am MOSTLY gentle and gracious, I know there is room for improvement.

Father, I’m not perfect. I know I’m not perfect. But I sure would like to be. So please help me to love and parent my children well. Help me to love and husband my wife well. Help me to love and guide our staff and volunteers well. Help me to love and serve our patients well. Live through me so that others might see you living through me and be drawn to you and your lighter yoke.