Women of the Bible Speak--Esther 4:13-14
Day 11
A couple of days ago, I stood in an examination room with my wife, a female dermatologist, and another female assistant and slid my shorts down–all the way.
Then I turned around so the dermatologist could run her blue light over my butt and over my inner thighs.
Except for the looking-for-skin cancer part, getting naked in front of three women seems like a fantasy come to life. 🙂
(Before my naughty brain could kick in though, I could hear the dermatologist saying things like, “That’s an age spot. That’s a skin tag–big enough to use as bait surf-fishing–but still just a tag. That bit of crust is a mole. That’s ANOTHER age spot).
Not quite as erotic as I might have wanted it to be.
Realizing that my body is already in slow-motion decay is too sobering to be saucy and fun.
And somewhere in there, if I torture the metaphor long enough, there is a connection between my nakedness in front of three women and what Esther goes through to be Xerxes next wife as described by Shannon Bream in The Women of the Bible Speak: The Wisdom of 16 Women and Their Lessons for Today,
The first time I read through Esther’s story I got hung up on King Xerxes's process to procure a new queen (found in Chapter 2) and spent some time wondering about how the ancient Persian royalty kept harems and how that manifests in what is now present day Iran.
(Harems have mostly disappeared in Iran for a number of cultural, social, and political reasons).
On my second reading though, I powered through the harem-training process and STOPPED wondering about King Xerxes spending every night, night after night, with a virgin from his harem until he settled on Esther and made her queen.
(I sort of doubt any man, or woman for that matter, can read through Esther’s journey to queen without wondering, even a little, what it might have been like to be either Xerxes or one of the harem women).
But I was able to pull myself away from the luridness of Persian culture long enough to let the rest of Esther’s story resonate with me.
Without going into very many specifics, in Chapter 3, Esther is made aware of a plot to kill every Jew in the Persian Empire because of a personal vendetta of Haman, (one of King Xerxes’ court) against Mordecai, Esther’s uncle–who refused to bow before Haman.
But Esther didn’t exactly leap to action upon learning of this plot to exterminate the Jews in Persia.
She knew the dangers of barging in to see King Xerxes without an invitation–if he didn’t raise his golden scepter, to accept her presence, she would be executed.
(Have you ever known people who let a little power go to their head like this? Celebrity and wealthy people culture comes to mind as well as HOA board members).
But in Chapter 4, Mordecai lays out some stark wisdom for Esther and his words are exactly the right message I need to hear every single day.
Esther 4:13-14 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Basically, Mordecai reminds Esther that she too is a Jew and if she thinks she will be spared once that bit of subterfuge is discovered by Xerxes, she is dead wrong.
And besides, Mordecai reasons, what the hell is your purpose as QUEEN if not to use your influence to save your brethren–if you can?
That is the piece of wisdom that runs through me and you every day.
Why exactly are we in the place that we are?
We went through some winnowing process just like Esther (maybe with more clothes on), but we had to do things that proved our worth to someone along the way.
Bream writes:
“Time and time again, throughout the Bible and in our own lives, we have seen God answer the prayers of His people. We can’t always explain it, just like most of us can’t explain the physics of gravity. But we don’t have to understand physics in order to know gravity’s power, and we don’t always have to understand the mysteries of this amazing gift God has given us, prayer, to know that it works.”
But we do need to be prodded, I think, to step out our safety zone to help others–just like Mordecai prodded Esther to DO SOMETHING.
Dr. Tony Evans writes in For Such A Time As This:
“When we look at the life of Esther throughout the book titled in her name, this phrase actually refers to Esther being scolded for her self-indulgent, self-preserving mindset. In today’s language, we might call that being “shot down” for having narcissistic tendencies! Mordecai reproved Esther for living large and embracing royalty over righteousness — selfies over service. Through those telling words, he reminded her she had been chosen to set her own interests aside, let go of her own ambitions, and face an enemy full-on.”
Mordecai and Esther prayed and put on sackcloth and fasted but that wasn’t going to slow the implementation of the royal decree to execute Jews.
And while it’s important to pray, sometimes God requires more of us.
We must do His will–not just watch.
Even if we are praying.
If I’m in a position to help someone–I need to. If helping someone in need is within my reach, then I should act.
Esther devises a complicated plot to show King Xerxes how he was being played by Haman and to cut to the ending, Haman gets hanged on the same scaffold that was built to hang Mordecai and the royal decree to execute all the Jews in Persia is countermanded.
Because Esther DID something.
Every day that we realize that we are where we are because of God, is a day where we can DO something for others because of our placement.
That’s not always easy for me because sometimes I like being secluded and cocooned in my cozy little environment I’ve built with Karen.
I’m as Esther as Esther.
Haven’t I attained this coziness with Karen for a time such as this?
Lord, we ask for strength to face the dangers that will come. May we be willing to risk our comfort for the sake of others in need.
Lord, remind us that we are not here by accident but by Your sovereign design. Inspire us to live out our faith boldly.
Amen.