The Power of One

Readings for today: Esther 6-10, Psalms 54

One of my favorite movies is titled, “The Power of One.” It details one young man and one young woman’s fight against the evils of apartheid in South Africa. It addresses all kinds of different issues but the main message is the significant power each individual has to stand up for justice and make a difference in the world. Esther is such a person.

Perhaps the most famous line in the book comes in chapter four when Mordecai encourages Esther to take action by saying, “Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” (Esther‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬ ‭CSB‬) It’s an incredibly humbling thought. Esther’s entire life had led her to this moment. God using every decision. God shaping her through every experience. God honoring her courage and faithfulness by placing her in a unique position of influence and power so that she might prevent the genocide of her people. Esther had no idea any of this was happening along the way. She was just living her life. Making daily choices that seemed best to her at the time. She wasn’t born into a life of privilege. She was not part of the royal household growing up. She was just another nameless, faceless Jewish woman until a unique opportunity presented itself and God sovereignly acted on her behalf. Now she is the queen. The most powerful woman in the empire and the second most powerful person. She has overcome Haman, the enemy of her people. She has raised her uncle up to a position of power alongside her. She has influenced the king over and over again and proven to be the power behind the throne. It’s incredible.

And it begs an important question for each and every one of us. What are we doing to follow Esther’s example? What are we doing to stand up for justice in our own time? What are we doing to fight evil on personal as well as systemic levels? Where is God calling us to make a difference in the world? For me, it means working hard to influence those I serve to align their lives with the life of Jesus. It means modeling compassion and kindness and sacrifice for those who are marginalized or less fortunate or suffering or struggling in their life. It could be in the town where I live or on the other side of the world. Over the years, I have fought a running battle against poverty and addiction and abuse and neglect and greed and selfishness. I have fought these battles in coffee shops or at local bars as I encourage and challenge the people I know and love to follow Jesus and I have worked hard to change systems and structures in society so they might become more reflective of God’s Kingdom. It’s not easy but I’ve not even approached the sacrifices of a person like Esther. Her example continues to inspire me to this day and hopefully, she inspires you as well!

Readings for tomorrow: Daniel 1-3, Psalms 55 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Strong Women

Readings for today: Esther 1-5, Psalms 53

I love the women of the Bible. They live in incredibly difficult times. They live in cultures where they are treated more as property than people. They are subject to all kinds of abuse and neglect. They have no rights and no legal recourse. They are prized for their physical beauty and cast aside when it fades. Their worth is determined by the number of male children they bear and they are shamed if they cannot produce. It’s a brutal, harsh existence and it would be easy for the women to throw up their hands in despair. It would be easy for them to feel helpless and hopeless. Resign themselves to their lot in life and try to make the best of things. But then you read stories about women like Vashti and Esther. Women who are powerful. Fierce. Courageous. Bold. They dare to stand up to the men in their lives. They dare to be different. They refuse to accept the social and cultural restraints placed upon them.

One of the common mistakes we make when we read the Bible is to assume that because every word is “inspired” it must mean every word has God’s endorsement. For example, I’ve seen our passage from today used to support all sorts of misogynist thinking. Rather than celebrate Queen Vashti’s courage for refusing to bow down to the drunken wishes of an abusive king, they take the king’s side. They worry that Vashti’s example will cause all women to “look on their husbands with contempt” or they use Esther 1:22 where it talks about “every man being master in his own household” as a proof text for hierarchical notions of spiritual leadership. Such thinking is toxic and betrays a lack of understanding on how to appropriately interpret Scripture. Nowhere in the text does the king’s behavior receive God’s endorsement. In fact, God isn’t mentioned a single time in the entire book! The reason this book is included in the Bible is to teach us how God often works behind the scenes through the courage of His people. People He strategically places in pagan culture to carry out His sovereign will. People like Esther for example. “The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other virgins. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff. It was Esther’s banquet. He freed his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.” (Esther‬ ‭2‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭CSB‬‬) It’s important to note the king’s lecherous behavior never seems to change. He is a man driven by his unrestrained passions. As such, he is vulnerable to all sorts of manipulation. Left on his own, he would have killed all the Jews in his empire. But thankfully God was at work! Behind the scenes. Under the radar. Hidden from view. He orchestrates things in such a way that Esther is placed on the throne. And though she presumably has to endure some of the same abuse her predecessor Vashti did, she leverages her position to save her people.

We still live in a world full of abuse. A world where women are often dismissed, neglected, or ignored. A world where women are not treated as equals. They often do not receive equal pay or equal access or equal opportunity. Their rights are now being further eroded as more and more men identify as women. I know many men who are intimidated by strong women. I know many men who are afraid of strong women. I know many men who weaponize Scripture in order to subjugate women. Thankfully, Scripture itself attests to the truth that women are made in the image of God. Women are co-heirs to the Kingdom of God. Women are co-equals in the eyes of God. Furthermore, Scripture gives us example after example of women of deep faith who courageously buck their traditional cultural roles as they seek to serve and honor God. Jesus Himself affirmed the women who sacrificed everything to follow Him. They were among His first and most faithful disciples. I myself have been incredibly blessed to be married to a strong, godly woman and to be raising three strong, godly daughters.

Readings for tomorrow: Esther 6-10, Psalms 54

Where is God?

Readings for today: Esther 6-10

One of the striking things about the Book of Esther is that there is no mention of God. In fact, some have used this to argue it should be stricken from the Biblical canon. God’s fingerprints, however, are all over the book as it tells yet another story of the salvation of the Jews. It’s a prime example of how God orchestrates things according to His sovereign will, using even pagan kings and emperors to bring His plans to pass. It reminds me of the story of Jospeh and how what human beings so often plan for evil, God plans for good. It reminds me also of what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8 about God working all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

We see this principle clearly on display in Esther and Mordecai’s life. Esther is the right age and station to be caught up in the search for a new queen. Despite the clear intent on the part of the king to exploit yet another young woman, Esther achieves a very high and respected status, eventually accumulating great power and authority in her own right. Due to Mordecai’s faithful resistance in refusing to bow before anyone but God, he is targeted with assassination along with all of his people. However, God places him at the right place at the right time to foil a plot against the king. Furthermore, God brings the act to the attention of the king at just the right moment when things seem at their most bleak and Mordecai’s fate is dramatically changed. One can choose to see these things as random events, sheer coincidence that have nothing to do with God but I beg to differ and so does the Biblical author of Esther. The whole point of this book is to explain the deeper meaning behind the celebration Purim as God once agains intervenes - though in a hidden way - to rescue His people from certain destruction.

One of the most common questions I get as a pastor is, “Where is God?” Where is God when it hurts? Where is God when I suffer? Where is God when my loved one dies? Where is God when the world seems so full of violence and pain? Where is God in the face of evil? These are hard but important questions and Esther provides at least one potential answer. God is there all along, orchestrating things behind the scenes if we have the eyes to see Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Malachi 1-4, Psalm 50

The Strength of Women

Readings for today: Esther 1-5

I love the women of the Bible. They live in incredibly difficult times. They live in cultures where they are treated more as property than people. They are subject to all kinds of abuse and neglect. They have no rights and no legal recourse. They are prized for their physical beauty and cast aside when it fades. Their worth is determined by the number of male children they bear and they are shamed if they cannot produce. It’s a brutal, harsh existence and it would be easy for the women to throw up their hands in despair. It would be easy for them to feel helpless and hopeless. Resign themselves to their lot in life and try to make the best of things. But then you read stories about women like Vashti and Esther. Women who are powerful. Fierce. Courageous. Bold. They dare to stand up to the men in their lives. They dare to be different. They refuse to accept the social and cultural restraints placed upon them.

One of the common mistakes we make when we read the Bible is to assume that because every word is “inspired” it must mean every word has God’s endorsement. For example, I’ve seen our passage from today used to support all sorts of misogynist thinking. Rather than celebrate Queen Vashti’s courage for refusing to bow down to the drunken wishes of an abusive king, they take the king’s side. They worry that Vashti’s example will cause all women to “look on their husbands with contempt” or they use Esther 1:22 where it talks about “every man being master in his own household” as a proof text for hierarchical notions of spiritual leadership. Such thinking is toxic and betrays a lack of understanding on how to appropriately interpret Scripture. Nowhere in the text does the king’s behavior receive God’s endorsement. In fact, God isn’t mentioned a single time in the entire book! The reason this book is included in the Bible is to teach us how God often works behind the scenes through the courage of His people. People He strategically places in pagan cultures to carry out His sovereign will. People like Esther for example. “The king fell in love with Esther far more than with any of his other women or any of the other virgins—he was totally smitten by her. He placed a royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. Then the king gave a great banquet for all his nobles and officials—“Esther’s Banquet.” He proclaimed a holiday for all the provinces and handed out gifts with royal generosity.” (Esther‬ ‭2‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭MSG‬‬‬) It’s important to note the king’s lecherous behavior never seems to change. He is a man driven by unrestrained passions. As such, he is vulnerable to all sorts of manipulation. Left on his own, he would have killed all the Jews in his empire. But thankfully God was at work! Behind the scenes. Under the radar. Hidden from view. He orchestrates things in such a way that Esther is placed on the throne. And though she presumably has to endure some of the same abuse her predecessor Vashti did, she leverages her position to save her people.

We still live in a world full of abuse. A world where women are often dismissed, neglected, or ignored. A world where women are not treated as equals. They often do not receive equal pay or equal access or equal opportunity. Their rights are now being further eroded as more and more men identify as women. I know some men who are intimidated by strong women. I know some men who are afraid of strong women. I know some men who weaponize Scripture in order to subjugate women. Thankfully, Scripture itself attests to the truth that women are made in the image of God. Women are co-heirs to the Kingdom of God. Women are co-equals in the eyes of God. Furthermore, Scripture gives us example after example of women of deep faith who courageously buck their traditional cultural roles as they seek to serve and honor God. Jesus Himself affirmed the women who sacrificed everything to follow Him. They were among His first and most faithful disciples. I myself have been incredibly blessed to be married to a strong, godly woman and to be raising three strong, godly daughters. For the Christian, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

Readings for tomorrow: None