Esther: It's tough being a woman

I gave the following devotional to a gathering of courageous women of God at a ministers breakfast, recently.

Esther is a wonderful story full of intrigue and reversals, despicable characters and unlikely heroes. And although within its pages a man chooses a woman to become his queen, we must refrain from thinking Esther's story is a romantic tale. For the king in question selects his queen based on selfish reasons and not for the sake of love. Yet Esther's story clearly speaks to us of profound love – God's love for his people and his commitment toward them.

Interestingly enough, the book which bears her name begins without any mention of Esther nor of the Jews, the very people God calls her to save. Quite the contrary, the book begins with the story of a pagan king named Xerxes trying to impress his nobles, his officials, and all the military officers of Persia and Media by throwing them a great banquet. A banquet that lasts for 180 days. (History tells us Xerxes planned a military excursion and he pined for the support of all his political friends.)

Xerxes follows up with another banquet for all the people in the fortress of Susa. A banquet in a lavishly decorated hall where the guests were given vasts quantities of wine and food. Xerxes holds nothing back from his guests. So much so, he even offers them his Queen. After seven days of feasting and drinking, Xerxes makes a disastrous request. In his inebriated state, he tells his eunuchs to bring Queen Vashti to him to parade her around his drunken guests.

From the very first chapter of the book, the narrator gives us a crystal clear understanding of King Xerxes character and temperament. A man willing to put his Queen in a vulnerable position, commanding her to parade herself in front of men who have indulged themselves without limits for seven days solely for their pleasure and for Xerxe's own selfish ends. But then Vashti does what no one expects. She refuses the King's inappropriate request. And in a fit of rage, he banishes her.

That fateful day, Xerxes could have never imagined that his ill-conceived request would set off a chain of events that would culminate in the deliverance of God's people. Yet here begins the story of Esther.

A table decoration with an unintended selfie.

As we've already noted, the story of Esther includes a wide variety of interesting characters, including powerful leaders and vulnerable subjects. However, as the story unfolds we soon realize that the true leader in the story is not necessarily the man with all the power, resources, and prestige. On the contrary, in the book of Esther the true leader emerges from obscurity – a lowly woman forcibly removed from her home and then hidden within the royal palace – one who enjoyed none of the advantages of her male counterpart.

God, too, remains hidden within the pages of Esther's story. Throughout the entire book, never once do we hear his name mentioned. Unlike Xerxes who preferred the spotlight and desired celebrity – God never calls attention to himself. Nor does God perform any attention-seeking miracles. He doesn't part the red sea, feed five thousand people, nor heal even a single blind man. Throughout Esther's story, God remains cleverly behind the scenes. Hidden, but never absent.

Likewise, Esther chooses obscurity over prominence. Surely, the safest course of action for a woman in her day. Have we not already witnessed what happened to women who sought autonomy and spoke their mind? They were banished. It was tough being a woman in Esther's day. No matter who you were or where you lived, if you were a woman, you were vulnerable. If a queen in the royal court received no protection from the selfish whims of powerful men, how safe would a lowly, Jewish woman be in a pagan household?

In Vashti and Esther's world, men like Xerxes often wielded their power selfishly, indiscriminately, and impulsively. Personal agendas took precedence over their subjects well-being. After Xerxes banished the Queen, his personal attendants suggested that he send out agents in each province to find the most beautiful women and bring them into the royal harem. Xerxes had a harem full of women already. But in order to look powerful and authoritative, Xerxes took the most beautiful women away from their families – without consideration of their hopes or their dreams - and brought them to his harem. Esther was one of these women gathered in the raid. She had no choice in the matter. 

Women face unique challenges in our world. They always have. The story of Esther, as well as the stories of Ruth and Hannah, Abigail and Michal, Elizabeth and Lydia prove this point. It's tough being a woman. But as women, we can better appreciate the difficulties these women encountered and the hostile environment they lived in, because although times have changed, some things have not. And although all these women faced enormous disadvantages, they also shared one great advantage – God remained by their side. Sometimes hidden. But never absent. 

We share that advantage with them. 

How did Esther become a savior to her people? How did she survive and thrive despite a persistent enemy, manipulative leaders, and a hostile cultural environment? This is how: Esther relied on the Spirit's guidance, she used the brains that God gave her, she asked for help from trustworthy people, and she planned meticulously and waited patiently before she acted.

Women of God, we belong to a sisterhood of courageous women that began with the creation of Eve. A sisterhood that includes the likes of Queen Esther, Judge Deborah, the prophet Miriam, the apostle Junia, and the teacher Priscilla. A fellowship of women that includes every sister in this gathering, all woman in your church, and every woman around the world. We may have never met, but we are all connected – by our shared stories, experiences, and most of all by the Spirit of God.

Therefore, sisters, let's not make life more difficult for each other. Rather let's bear one another's burdens and treat the wounded among us with compassion. Let's be generous in our love, in our prayers, and in our words. Let's endeavor to listen better and encourage more. Like Esther, we may feel hidden and insecure. But God is with us and among us. Hidden, but never absent.

Yes, it's tough being a woman. But together we are a force to be reckoned with. 

These questions prompted a courageous telling of events from the lives of the women who attended that day.

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