“Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.”
Many of us have heard sermons on Esther including the famous line “for such a time as this”, but most lessons focus on Esther being told that, instead of Mordecai who said it.
Early in this book Mordecai is introduced as having adopted Esther because she had neither father nor mother. That little tidbit tells us that Mordecai was a good man, even before people were watching. He did the right thing. Taking care of widows and orphans is true religion and it identifies him as a follower of God. Long before God made Esther queen, He made Mordecai faithful.
Mordecai started out as an ordinary guy sitting by the city gate; but this verse indicates that later he was elevated to the number two man in the kingdom and loved and admired by the people. However, that was never his target. That happened because God blessed his obedience. There was no strategy for advancement, no campaign, just a man with a heart that followed God. He took care of those who couldn’t take care of themselves. He worked for the good of his people and had their backs when things got tough. Whether he was sitting unnoticed at the city gate, or the number 2 man in the kingdom, he was the same man, and he loved and valued others.
You may be in a chapter of life where you feel obscure and unnoticed, daily doing the mundane deeds God requires of you, … or maybe, like Mordecai in this verse, the crowd is cheering your accomplishments… Either way, your heart is what matters… Are you protecting it? Because what is inside, will come out.
So, today, whether God places you in a position of influence, or calls you to serve in anonymity… live with integrity and a servant’s heart… Stay ready to be used… Because in your life, just like in this story, Esther may not be the only one being prepared for “such a time as this”.
“Godliness isn’t something we manufacture. It’s something The Spirit grows inside of us and then it overflows into our words, choices, and actions.” - anonymous
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