The Mentality of the World
Daily Old Testament Reading: Zechariah 14; Esther 1-3
Daily Focus Passage: Esther
The mentality of the world is different than the ways of the Lord. In Esther 1, the king approaches his pursuit of a new wife by seeking counsel from the people he trusts. This reliance on these individuals reveals how many people seek to navigate life. At the same time, the Lord works through the king's worldly mentality to set the stage for the rescue of his people. Today, we must recognize that the world's ways continue to differ from those of the Lord, but we can trust in the Lord working through the situations.
THE WAYS PEOPLE SEEK
The king in Esther 1 demonstrates how people seek wisdom to navigate the world. The king seeks counsel from his wise men, hoping they will give him the needed knowledge for finding a new queen. The king approaches the people of the world he trusts and hopes they will provide him with great insight. He allows the voices of the world to dominate his life. This approach to leading demonstrates the influence of cultural norms on one's life. The king acted in this manner because the culture stated that this provided the way to wisdom.
Today, people continue to seek wisdom from others. We often trust the insight and advice from others concerning moments in life instead of seeking the Lord. The culture influences us to use search engines like Google to gain information about specific topics in life. The cultural norms often prevent us from seeking the ways of the Lord and his leading in life for what lies ahead.
LISTENING TO THE WRONG VOICES
The king listened to the wrong voices in life. He listened to the voices that spoke to him from selfish intentions. Many who gave wisdom hoped to earn the king's favor for personal gain. The voices spoke out of the flesh and not from the Lord. The king was more concerned with listening to people who agreed with him instead of seeking proper advice.
Today, we often continue to listen to the wrong voices. We surround ourselves with people who will support our decisions and agree with us instead of challenging and offering us a different perspective. We seek to listen to the voices of the world that speak from personal opinion instead of relying on the leading of the Lord through His Word.
GOD WORKS FOR HIS PURPOSE AND GLORY
The king's approach did not surprise the Lord. The king should have sought the Lord but trusted the world's ways instead. The Lord used this decision by the king to set the stage for the people of Israel to be delivered. God used this act of the king to bring Esther into the picture so that he could use her for such a time as this. The Lord used the worldly act of the king to bring glory and honor to the Lord through the rescuing of the people.
The Lord continues to work in this manner today. He allows us to choose the ways of the world or the ways of the Lord. No matter our choice, the Lord works for his purpose and glory. We must learn to seek the Lord because his will is good, acceptable, and perfect. We must learn to seek the Lord to play a vital role in the work of the Lord in the world.
