The story of Esther is an incredible story of influence, courage, and faith. Esther had a huge responsibility to save the lives of her people, but she was merely the wife of the king. She was not allowed to come before him without being invited. Just like Esther, regardless of how we feel about our circumstances, we all have the ability to influence those around us. It is up to us in how we use it and what we use it for. Despite the consequences, Esther went before the king to save God’s people, and the king had mercy on her and granted her request. In this same way, God has extended grace and mercy toward us and sent His only Son to be a sacrifice for our sin, so that we may come boldly to Him.
Do you think it's weird that there's an entire book of the Bible without a mention of God? Do you think that you as a Christian can experience a major life event without any indication of God's direction? Have you ever done so personally? How do you navigate a difficult situation when God's will isn't obvious?
Have you ever had to speak up about a wrong or an injustice that you've witnessed? Have you ever struggled with speaking up?
Do you feel like you have influence in people’s lives? Who do you feel you have the most influence with?
Do you feel like you are using your influence well? How could you use it better?
Just like books in a bookstore, the books of the Bible cover several different genres—books of history, books of poetry, letters, biographies, etc. Ester is written in the form of a narrative. It's written to tell a compelling story, one you might read for enjoyment or tell to your kids, not simply as a recording of historical facts. What can we learn from this about sharing our faith? Do you have any compelling stories of God working in your life that might be a better way to share than simply stating Christian teachings?
Matthew 5:16 (NIV) In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Make a list of those in your life that you have influence over. Think about how you are using that influence and how you can use it better to point people to the hero of all of our stories: God.
