I have been thinking of how God raised up women to fulfill His will in so many instances in the Bible and even in modern history.  He rescued whole nations by the strength and wisdom of women who loved and served Him.  These women did not have to gain the votes of the people to do something.  They just had to use their talents and gather their resources to change the state of affairs of their community, and ultimately, their nation.  We can do the same.  Each one of us has a particular area where we are in charge. We have our homes, our responsibilities, our families, our friends. We have talents, skills, and experiences. We have knowledge of those around us. We have many resources and we can change things for the good. One example of a woman who used what she had to change the world around her is Esther. 

When Esther was chosen to be a candidate for queen, she did not know what the result would be.  I am sure she did not wake up that morning and say, “I will be Queen!”  She seems far too humble for that.  But, even though she was a Jewish orphan, displaced from her homeland and raised by her uncle, she was still among the bevy of young ladies chosen to be candidates for queen over the Persian Empire.  In this case, beauty was a quality that was important.  All women have beauty, but it is often obscured by pain or trauma or hard living.  The Persians felt that beauty needed time to blossom, so they took great pains to give their young queen candidates many beauty treatments to prepare them for public viewing. 

“When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.” (Esther 2:8-9 NIV) 

This was an amazing time for a young lady who is a refugee in the capital of the Empire.  She did not reveal her origin to anyone, so they treated her like all the local girls.  Esther was provided with the best beauty treatments, food and even servants.  Suddenly, she was in the lap of luxury, being groomed for the wife of a king.  She must have liked it because she did not try to escape.  This was not an overnight affair.  It took months.  “Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.”  (Verses 12-14).

Those were the rules.  A whole year of beauty treatments, then one night with the king.  After that she would just join all the other concubines in the harem and would never again see the king or another man unless the king called her by name.  She had given up her own life and her own freedom, completely.  I am sure the women were very dramatic in their efforts to win the king’s favor, like they are on The Bachelor. But something about Esther stood out.

So, when the king was pleased with Esther, it was the pinnacle of success.  This was a dream come true, a real life Cinderella story.  A girl from the ash heap of her own nation was taken to the palace where the king fell in love with her, married her and they lived happily ever after. 

 But there was trouble in paradise.  There was a plot against the king, which Esther’s uncle Mordecai told her about.  She told the king and it was aborted.  That was a good use of Esther’s position.  But then, a plot against all the Jews in the kingdom was exposed, leaving Esther and her uncle in a dangerous position as all their people faced genocide.  “Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.  If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.” (Esther3:8-9). 

This was a time of great fear to the Jews.  One man hated them and he had the power to destroy them.  What could they do?  What could Esther, the Queen, do?  All the beauty treatments in the world were not enough to stop this attack on her people.  The Jews were all distraught.  There was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes. (Esther 4:3).  When Esther heard about it, she was also distressed.  Mordecai sent her this message:  “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14).   Esther’s position and life hung in the balance.  But she could not go to King Xerxes any time she wanted.  She had to be invited.  This was serious, a time to gather her resources and use them.

Esther asked for help.  She asked all her people to fast and pray that she could be received by the king.  If she were not accepted, it could mean her death.  She said, ““Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” If she did not go, it would mean the death of all her people, and herself.  She was walking between death and death.  So the people fasted (and prayed).  What else could they do?  All their lives were in the balance.  This was serious. 

After three days of fasting, Esther gathered her courage and did what had to be done.  She walked into the throne room and stood there. She was cautious and careful.  She had used everything she had to do this and it paid off.  “When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.”

Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” (Esther 5:2-3).

Here, Esther could have blurted out the state of affairs and danger to her people, the king was receptive, but she waited.  She thought it would be better in a more private setting, when the king was at his ease and well fed.  So, she again used her resources and invited him to a private dinner in her quarters, along with the man who hated her people, Haman.  That was a touch of courage and genius!  Who invites their enemy to a special dinner party?  The Queen could. 

Other things were happening in the lives of the different characters, stirring up anger, planning revenge and setting the scene for disaster.  But Queen Esther quietly went about her business with her servants, preparing a banquet for two men.  As you read on, this banquet went overnight and into the second day.  Esther did not blurt out her request.  She still held the King in great reverence, respecting his power and authority.  So, she waited until she was asked. 

Finally, the king asked her what was her request.

 “Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king!”   

 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” (Esther 7:3-6).   She was finally allowed to speak her mind and tell the condition of her people.  This was the moment of her greatest triumph!  The refugee girl, transformed into a queen, became a savior to her people.  But there was a lot that led up to this moment.  It was all preparation of her heart, her spirit, her faith and her wisdom.  In the end, righteousness prevailed, the enemy was defeated, his edicts were cancelled and reversed, Esther and Mordecai were promoted and all the Jews were saved.  She fulfilled her calling and lived to a ripe old age.  Esther was able to save her people and to please the king, ruling by his side for many years.

Are you in a position of ruling over something?  Or are you being prepared to rule?  Realize that there are enemies out there who would rather see themselves in the place of authority.  If you are humble and serving in your attitude, you can use all your resources, even your beauty, to overcome your enemy.  As Jesus said, “Be wise as a serpent, but harmless as a dove!” 

We will look at some of your resources in the next installment.  You are being equipped to do great things for such a time as this!!!