Haman was an enemy of the Jewish people. In fact, he hated them so much that he devised a plan to deceive the king and completely destroy the Israelites. The Jews, God’s chosen people, have always been persecuted and are still a hated people thousands of years later. In Esther 4:13-17 we read that Queen Esther, a Jew, found herself in a dilemma due to Haman’s wicked scheme. She could either keep quiet and spare her own life, since the King, her own husband, did not know she was an Israelite. Or she could risk her life for the benefit of the entire Jewish nation by entering into the King’s chamber uninvited—an act punishable by death. Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, challenged her to stand up for what was right and reminded her to think of the welfare of her people, the Jews, rather than just her personal well-being.
In His word, the Lord constantly reminds us to consider others before ourselves. We’re exhorted to love one another, to honor one another, to prefer one another, and to serve one another. It’s natural to think of ourselves first, but it’s the work of the Holy Spirit to reverse this thinking and cause us to think of others first. Mordecai told Esther to speak up for the Lord and for her people and not to hold her peace. He asked, “who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Notice Esther’s faith and courage in the subsequent verses. She commanded Mordecai to gather all the Jews and fast and pray for her as she approached the king. “If I perish, I perish,” she said. May we likewise be dedicated to our Lord in the face of extreme opposition and seek the welfare of others, even above our own.
