Reading / studying the book of Esther also tells us that it is important to be ready to defend just causes, even if it must come at the expense of our lives. It is difficult (and even impossible) to become great if we are not ready to forget ourselves / to live / to die for a cause greater than ourselves. The Bible exhorts us not to look to our own interests, but also to the interests of others (Phil 2.4); and that’s what Esther did. She understood that in any case, being Jewish herself, she had little chance to escape extermination. And even if the king's love had saved her, what flavour and joy would life have had after such carnage? Our Christianity has become too personal: “My faith is only for me and it should not disturb anyone.” However, since the time of Jesus, Christianity has always disturbed people. Though He is the Prince of Peace, Jesus warned us about what it is to follow Him: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mat 10:34-39) Why have we forgotten these words in favour of those promising healing, miracles and prosperity? By losing her life, Esther found it back, but she also saved that of a whole people. Who knows? Perhaps Jesus would have never been born if she had not braved death.
The Book of Esther also gives us a superb example of the consequences of compromise. Some 500 years ago, God had asked Saul to make war with the Amalekites and destroy them all: men, women, children, old people and cattle (1Sam 15)! But Saul did not obey; after defeating them, he decided to spare their king, Agag, and the choicest beasts of the flocks (pretending it was to offer a sacrifice to the Lord – What madness it is to dare bring to God something that He has already struck with a curse Himself!). This nonchalance cost him the throne, him and his descendants. God knows the future; and it is knowingly that He had asked to exterminate ALL the Amalekites. He knew the danger that they would later represent. Indeed, the Bible reveals that Haman, the arch enemy of Mordecai and the Jews in this book, the one who had sworn to wipe them all off the surface of the earth, was an Agagite: a descendant of Agag, the king that Saul had spared. The thing that God is asking you to eliminate from your life today and for which you are reluctant to comply, may well be what will destroy your child or your grandchildren tomorrow. We must obey the Lord and obey fully. I wrote an article last year on the danger of compromise; (re)read it. Each time we are not 100% obedient, we allow a certain percentage of compromise and without knowing it, we begin to destroy ourselves; we lose a crown and put the future generations at risk. This illustrates what I said earlier about not minding our own interests only, but looking at things with a global perspective. Africa is in this state today because apart from the leaders who risked their lives for the independence, almost all those who followed have only been worshipping their bellies and pursuing their own interests and those of their families. Who cares if there is no hospital worthy of the name? They go for treatment in Europe! Who cares if there is no university worthy of the name? Their children go to the very best American and European schools and universities. Who cares if there is no mall worthy of the name? They shop abroad every week-end. Who cares if the oil and mineral reserves are depleted within 50 years? In the meantime, this money buys them houses, mansions, luxury cars and jewellery all over the world (preferably in Europe and the U.S.).
Our Christianity must become militant, committed, and free of any compromise again: Jesus is coming back.
God bless you!
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