HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE - Part 4
DAY 174: Part 4 of 4 in the blog series HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE- lessons from Esther.
I have a few family members who regularly buy lottery tickets. While the odds of one of them winning are astronomical, in their words: "Somebody's got to win. It could be me." The optimism only cost them $1 per week. Regardless of the odds or the wisdom of making even that meager investment, their hearts are in the right place. All of them have big plans for how the money will impact not only their own lives, but how they plan to help everyone in our family.
My dad always says, "When I win the lottery, I'll make sure the kids college is completely paid for," or "When I pick the winning number we are all going to go on one great big family vacation." I have no doubt that he means it. He loves to be generous and if he had more money he would just be more generous. His success would benefit far more people than just himself.
I'm not exactly holding my breath, but I am thankful that one of the things the story of Esther teaches about success, I already learned from my family: Success should always be bigger than yourself.
The story of Esther continues after an intense time of prayer and fasting, seeking God's help in their dire situation when Esther and Mordecai put a plan into action. Ironically, where Queen Vashti's plan was a refusal to go before the King when she was summoned, Queen Esther's plan is to go before the king when she had not be summoned. Both were perilous actions because they defied the law and the customs. The example of her predecessor was surely weighing on her mind. But with a confidence that comes when we lean not on our own understanding, but acknowledge God's power to make our path's straight as we seek Him first, Esther put herself in harms way.
I can only imagine the relief she must have felt when she saw him raise that scepter! God had granted her favor. Perhaps should would not perish after all. I can imagine overcoming that first hurdles buoyed her faith, giving her greater confidence to move ahead with her still very risky plan. Recognizing the invisible God's hand is a vital part of putting ourselves fully into His big and capable hands. If God got her that far, she had faith He would take her further still.
With unrushed calculation, Esther patiently created an atmosphere where her plea for the king's intervention would best be heard. Twice she prepares a banquet and invites the king and Haman to be her guests. Then when both of their guards are down, she reveals her great distress.
5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
Haman, who despised an entire race because of one man's disrespect, who schemed and boasted and manipulated for his own profit, was exposed as the evil traitor he was. All the success that he grasped and hungered for was stripped away and given to another; and he was hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai.
Esther and Mordecai were safe; more than safe. Mordecai, a Jew, was given all the authority that had belonged to Haman - he became the second most powerful man in the world - and Esther was given all the possessions that had belonged to Haman. Success? You bet! More than they could have ever imagined. But this was not the success that they had fasted and pleaded for. Men like Haman would have been satisfied with such temporary fame. Even faithful follows could be at risk of being distracted by such alluring success. They however, kept their eye on the proverbial ball. They never set out for mere personal success. Their goal was much bigger - shared success.
Esther and Mordecai used the favor they were granted to ensure that all Jews were spared, not just themselves. With Mordecai's new power as the king's designate bearing the king's signet ring, he issued a new decree that gave the Jews the authority to defend themselves against all attackers and even take the property of those they defeated. Their definition of success was big indeed because it was spent on the benefit of others.
But God's was even bigger. I'm sure Mordecai never dreamed he would have authority of every Persian province, including over the Promised Land where the Jews were returning from exile. I bet he didn't see that coming! But that was God's vision. We don't have a record of how Mordecai used that power to advance God's purposes for his people and the known world, but I feel confident that he was a useful tool in the hand of God for as long as he had that divinely orchestrated authority.
Perhaps the final two lessons I see from Esther on How to Succeed in Life are the most important, and should be considered in light of the other lessons - so here is a recap of Esther's road to success backwards.
Lesson 5: Success granted by God is meant to be spent wisely on God's purposes. Haman saw success as a personal victory to be spent on his own pleasure and purpose. It was a matter of personal pride. Esther and Mordecai saw success as a spiritual victory to be spent on God's pleasure and purpose. It was a matter of personal responsibility.
Lesson 4: God may define success differently than we can even imagine so be ready for anything. It could be bigger or it could be smaller; it will always have a purpose we can spend on Him.
Lesson 3: Before you make a plan, seek first the invisible God Himself who is always invincible.
Lesson 2: Guard against bitterness, and everything else that sets itself against God. Bitterness and anger steal success!
Lesson 1: Don't settle for someone else's definition of success, the world's definition of success, or the mere "possible" definition of success. Define it according to your values built on the word and person and purpose of Jesus Christ.
Unlike the lottery, these lessons are a sure thing. Still, I have to remind myself that the magic is not in "finding" these truths to success, but applying them to my life right now!
HOW WILL YOU APPLY THESE TO YOUR SITUATION?
Esther 5:1-10:3
1 Corinthians 14:18-40
Psalm 37:30-40
Proverbs 21:27
I have a few family members who regularly buy lottery tickets. While the odds of one of them winning are astronomical, in their words: "Somebody's got to win. It could be me." The optimism only cost them $1 per week. Regardless of the odds or the wisdom of making even that meager investment, their hearts are in the right place. All of them have big plans for how the money will impact not only their own lives, but how they plan to help everyone in our family.
My dad always says, "When I win the lottery, I'll make sure the kids college is completely paid for," or "When I pick the winning number we are all going to go on one great big family vacation." I have no doubt that he means it. He loves to be generous and if he had more money he would just be more generous. His success would benefit far more people than just himself.I'm not exactly holding my breath, but I am thankful that one of the things the story of Esther teaches about success, I already learned from my family: Success should always be bigger than yourself.
The story of Esther continues after an intense time of prayer and fasting, seeking God's help in their dire situation when Esther and Mordecai put a plan into action. Ironically, where Queen Vashti's plan was a refusal to go before the King when she was summoned, Queen Esther's plan is to go before the king when she had not be summoned. Both were perilous actions because they defied the law and the customs. The example of her predecessor was surely weighing on her mind. But with a confidence that comes when we lean not on our own understanding, but acknowledge God's power to make our path's straight as we seek Him first, Esther put herself in harms way.
Esther 5:1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 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.
3 Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”I can only imagine the relief she must have felt when she saw him raise that scepter! God had granted her favor. Perhaps should would not perish after all. I can imagine overcoming that first hurdles buoyed her faith, giving her greater confidence to move ahead with her still very risky plan. Recognizing the invisible God's hand is a vital part of putting ourselves fully into His big and capable hands. If God got her that far, she had faith He would take her further still.
With unrushed calculation, Esther patiently created an atmosphere where her plea for the king's intervention would best be heard. Twice she prepares a banquet and invites the king and Haman to be her guests. Then when both of their guards are down, she reveals her great distress.
7:1 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,2 and as they were drinking wine
on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your
petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half
the kingdom, it will be granted.”
3 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. 4 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.”5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
Haman, who despised an entire race because of one man's disrespect, who schemed and boasted and manipulated for his own profit, was exposed as the evil traitor he was. All the success that he grasped and hungered for was stripped away and given to another; and he was hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai.
Esther and Mordecai were safe; more than safe. Mordecai, a Jew, was given all the authority that had belonged to Haman - he became the second most powerful man in the world - and Esther was given all the possessions that had belonged to Haman. Success? You bet! More than they could have ever imagined. But this was not the success that they had fasted and pleaded for. Men like Haman would have been satisfied with such temporary fame. Even faithful follows could be at risk of being distracted by such alluring success. They however, kept their eye on the proverbial ball. They never set out for mere personal success. Their goal was much bigger - shared success.
Esther and Mordecai used the favor they were granted to ensure that all Jews were spared, not just themselves. With Mordecai's new power as the king's designate bearing the king's signet ring, he issued a new decree that gave the Jews the authority to defend themselves against all attackers and even take the property of those they defeated. Their definition of success was big indeed because it was spent on the benefit of others.
But God's was even bigger. I'm sure Mordecai never dreamed he would have authority of every Persian province, including over the Promised Land where the Jews were returning from exile. I bet he didn't see that coming! But that was God's vision. We don't have a record of how Mordecai used that power to advance God's purposes for his people and the known world, but I feel confident that he was a useful tool in the hand of God for as long as he had that divinely orchestrated authority.
Perhaps the final two lessons I see from Esther on How to Succeed in Life are the most important, and should be considered in light of the other lessons - so here is a recap of Esther's road to success backwards.
Lesson 5: Success granted by God is meant to be spent wisely on God's purposes. Haman saw success as a personal victory to be spent on his own pleasure and purpose. It was a matter of personal pride. Esther and Mordecai saw success as a spiritual victory to be spent on God's pleasure and purpose. It was a matter of personal responsibility.
Lesson 4: God may define success differently than we can even imagine so be ready for anything. It could be bigger or it could be smaller; it will always have a purpose we can spend on Him.
Lesson 3: Before you make a plan, seek first the invisible God Himself who is always invincible.
Lesson 2: Guard against bitterness, and everything else that sets itself against God. Bitterness and anger steal success!
Lesson 1: Don't settle for someone else's definition of success, the world's definition of success, or the mere "possible" definition of success. Define it according to your values built on the word and person and purpose of Jesus Christ.
Unlike the lottery, these lessons are a sure thing. Still, I have to remind myself that the magic is not in "finding" these truths to success, but applying them to my life right now!
HOW WILL YOU APPLY THESE TO YOUR SITUATION?
Esther 5:1-10:3
1 Corinthians 14:18-40
Psalm 37:30-40
Proverbs 21:27
Comments
Post a Comment