Women...and the O.T.: Esther

You just know I am going to do this. I am going to give my thoughts on all these women. And today is the day for Esther.

Well, this is my take on Esther. First of all, she married a king who sounded kind of mean. Well, really mean. And while I probably don't understand the ancients and their protocols of behavior, I'm pretty sure that killing people for talking to you or coming into your presence without permission is ridiculous. So I would not have wanted to be married to that guy.

But this is what stood out to me about Esther's story. Her people are threatened, and she is afraid to go to the king (her own husband!!!) and ask him to save them. Mordecai, her uncle, advises her thusly. He tells her she can hold her peace. He tells her that "an enlargement and deliverance" of the Jewish people will come from someone or something else. He then says this in Esther 4:14, "...but thou and they father's house shall be destroyed: who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" In other words, take courage, Esther. You are in the best position to save the Jews from Haman. In fact, you were probably married to the king for just that reason. Knowing that, you cannot fail. And so Esther makes one request. She asks that the Jews in Shushan fast for her. Then she will go in to the king.

What courage and faith that it took. She needed encouragement from Mordecai, but once she had been given that assurance that this was her role to fulfill, she did it. She sought for the prayers and faith of others, and she went in to the king. And the king saved the Jews from wicked Haman. I bet Esther felt so grateful to have followed Mordecai's advice. Once again, here is a woman at the mercy of an unyielding man. Yet she acted in faith. She knew what could happen, but it did not stop her.

Oh to be as Esther was, to have courage and to do the hard thing. To be willing to face death if necessary. That is faith. I'm once again impressed by her obedience and willingness as I was with Ruth's willingness and obedience. I've spent a lot of my life focusing on what I want and what is best for me. I want to make my own choices. I want to be right all the time. I think too many women are subservient. I seriously bristle at the thought of a king such as this.

But I think Esther was humble and looked at the bigger picture, not just for herself, but for others. I think that is why she could be so courageous. Her humility allowed her to see that she wasn't married to the king for herself. She was married to the king to fulfill a role in God's plan for the Jews at that time. That is really impressive. What a great example!