The Power of the Ring - Mark

Genesis 41:41-43
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

I read this passage this morning, and I was struck by the similarities to Esther 3 where Xerxes places Haman in charge of the kingdom.

Esther 3:10-11
So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. "Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people as you please."

As I have dug into these passages, I find a huge difference between these stories. Pharaoh demonstrated leadership by listening to Joseph's interpretation and placing him in charge. He could not find any one else who had a closer relationship with God, so naturally he would also be the best person to implement the strategy to save Egypt.

On the other hand, Xerxes was a terrible leader. He had inherited his kingdom from his father, and he was an insecure child dictator. He made his decisions based upon public opinion in order to be favored by the people. This reminds me of the parent that is constantly trying to be their child's best friend. Xerxes advocates his throne to Haman out of weakness, not leadership.

It occurs to me that the exact same act can be good or evil based upon the intent. The God of the universe searches our hearts and knows our intentions.