Esther 1-3
One of my favorite games is "Risk." When Thanksgiving arrives we usually play a game on Friday afternoon at the dining room table. The objective is to take over the world with your armies. Guess what you need to do to conquer the world and become a hero? You must risk putting up your armies against your opponents. The only way to win is to RISK.
Today our heroine is a reluctant one. Esther not a risk taker; she is a conformist. We might even call her a compromiser. But she is definitely not the heroine type. Yet something will happen in her life that dramatically changes her.
One trivia question about this book: what word does not appear in this story? It is the word "God." The author takes pains not to mention God. Why? Because God was not part of their lives. The heroine is TOLD not to mention anything about her background, and certainly not about her God. Esther is told to keep quiet. Contrast that with Daniel who proudly says he is a Jew. Esther hides her heritage and never speaks the name of God. Not much of a heroine. In fact, if you are looking for a heroine, look at Queen Vashti. In an incredible act of courage, she says no to attending a bachelor party and doing some pole dancing.
So the original "American Idol" is formed. Estimates are that up to 1000 young women were kidnapped and began one year of preparation for the goal of spending a night in bed with the king.
That one night would determine your future. There were 4 outcomes to the competition:
1. Be sent back to harem and live alone for the rest of your life.
2. Become a concubine, and get called up a few times a year for parties.
3. If lucky, become one of the king's multiple wives and have his children.
4. The grand prize: become Queen.
So Esther gets on her perch in complete compliance. She plays the Barbie doll, the playmate and does everything the men want. By completely selling out to the world's systems, she rises to the top.
I am offended by this story so far. Why would God put up with people who are afraid to speak his name to others? Why would God hang around people who compromise and blend in with the culture? Doesn't God give up on people who are living in disobedience to him?
By the way, are you acting like Esther in any way? When was the last time you spoke the name of God to someone? When was the last time you took a kingdom risk?
This story challenges us to take a risk and use our privileged lives for more than just focusing on our perch, our comfortable lives, and feathering our own beds. Stay turned to find out how Esther becomes a heroine.
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