Introduction
Esther is one of the most inspirational women in the bible. Her life and sermons were so stupendous and of such enormous significance that a whole book in the bible was dedicated to her. Esther was just a normal person that was chosen by God to serve his purpose. The book of Ester narrates the story of a young Jewish woman who rose to the thrones of power but also reveals the life of the Jews under the Persian reign. During that era, the Persian realm was immense and stretched from Asia to East Africa. Even though God’s name is not mentioned in the book, her story is incorporated in the bible because of its significance to humans and God’s prophetic work exposed through its chapters.
Despite the fact that this book only talks about Esther’s life and that of the Jewish people in Persia, it is very relevant to people of all faith. This essay will explore the life of Esther and the leadership qualities exhibited in her book. In addition, the essay will try to connect and discuss the story of Esther with the contemporary world, especially women in leadership roles and how God uses people like Esther today. Last but not least, the essay will also relate and discuss the relevance of the book to the business world today.
Esther’s Life
Esther was an ordinary young Jewish woman who lived with her cousin. Her cousin’s name was called Mordecai. Mordecai adopted Esther after her parents passed away. Esther’s family was captured from Jerusalem by King Jeconiah of Judah. Esther and her cousin lived in the great Persian Kingdom, which was under king Ahasuerus. The king’s palace was known as Shushan. During the third year in office, the king organized a feast for all his princes and servants. At the same time, Queen Vashti also organized a feast for all women in the royal house.
On the seventh day of the feast, when the king had taken too much wine, she ordered the queen to come and show the public her beauty. She was gorgeous. However, the queen totally refused. The King was infuriated and sought advice from his right-hand men. They advised the king to gather all the virgins from all the provinces in his Kingdom, and the one who will thrill him would replace Vashti as the queen. The king heeded their advice and ordered all the young virgin maidens in his land. Esther was one of the young virgin maidens who were brought into the king’s palace under the custody of Hegai, the women’s keeper.
During that period, beauty was the most desirable attribute of women. Esther was stunningly beautiful. As a result, she won the contest and became the queen of Persia. It is probable that the king realized that Esther was more than just beautiful. She was intelligent, reliable, and courageous. These are the traits that possibly attracted the king.
During the same period, Prince Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite was promoted by the king after his predecessor had designed to kill him. He was set above all the male members of the royal family. Since the Jewish tradition was very different from the tradition of the land, Mordecai found it very difficult to bow down or show reverence to the throne. The Jewish people could only bow down or show respect to God and not a human being. This angered Haman, and he ordered the massacre of all the Jews in the land. They were only saved after Esther intervened.
Leadership Qualities of Esther in the Bible
There are scores of leadership traits exhibited by Esther after being crowned as the queen. The most significant trait is witnessed in her interaction with Mordecai. She never disregarded her cousin’s advice. Despite the fact that she was a queen, she never ignored advice from those below her. An excellent leader is always ready to take counsel and listen to other people’s opinions. Fear is also another obstacle for most leaders. A good leader must learn to conquer fear, and that is what Esther did. Entering the king’s inner court without his permission was punishable by death. However, Esther risked her own life to rescue the Jews from being massacred. She went to see the kings without an invitation, which was a grave offense.
Another important leadership quality exhibited by Esther is patience. She took her time and never rushed into decisions. Even after entering the king’s inner court without an invitation, she did not verbalize her quest right away. Instead, she invited the king and Haman to a feast. Yet, at the feast, she was not in a rush to make her request. She waited for the right moment.
Esther was also a very loyal person. She was very true to Mordecai and was very concerned about his welfare. She took action whenever he prompted her to do something. Mordecai had deep confidence in Esther. Loyalty is very important in leadership. An individual who exhibits loyalty and reverence to others will also be accorded the same. Esther also recognized her weaknesses. She knew there were things she could not do on her own without divine intervention. As a result, she asked her people to fast and pray. A good leader is supposed to recognize the significance of God.
King Ahasuerus was exceedingly ruthless, but also generous. The bible tells us that he organized a feast for all his servants and allowed them to drink in golden vessels. Generosity is imperative since it generates loyalty. Unlike Esther, Queen Vashti was disobedient. She refused to go before the king. She lost her position as a queen because of defying the king. Lastly, Mordecai was exceptionally strict. He raised Esther diligently but cautioned her never to show her beauty to men. Strictness is a very important leadership quality because it helps to prevent things from going wrong.
Leadership Lessons from the Life of Esther
The story of Esther is very inspirational, especially for women and their leadership roles. Despite the fact that most laws give women equal rights as men, the patriarchal principle still defines identity and the role of women in most societies. As a result, women are still being treated unfairly, for instance, at the workplace and in leadership positions. Esther’s story teaches women to be fearless in their quests. They should learn to conquer fear and never be held down by society. Furthermore, risk-taking is a popular phrase in business today. An individual or organization can never be prosperous without taking risks.
According to Esther’s story, a good leader should always be ready to take counsel and listen to other people’s opinions. Leaders should shun the know-it-all attitude. They should be open to advise and ask for other people’s input or suggestions. In addition, they should never look down upon their juniors, as Esther did. Esther’s story also teaches us that patience is a very important virtue in leadership. Leaders should take their time and never rush into decisions.
The current leaders should also borrow a leaf from Mordecai. Strictness helps to avoid issues such as time-wasting, laxity, and corruption in organizations and society at large. Last but not least, generosity is also important in leadership. The most common style of leadership today is the “hands-on” style. According to this leadership style, the managers are supposed to work very closely with their juniors and be concerned about their welfare.
There are a number of women who have stood out in the current male-dominated society. These women have not only influenced the lives of other women, but they also have inspired the world at large. One of these women is Oprah Winfrey. Oprah grew up in abject poverty. Oprah had to rise against all the odds to become one of the most influential women on the planet earth. She currently champions for the right of women. In addition, Oprah portrays an image of an individual who is credible, candid, confident, elegant, and humble. For this reason, she is a role model for many women across the globe.
Conclusion
Esther’s life is an inspiration to many people. She came from a very humble background. In addition, she was an orphan. However, all these did not deter her from realizing her dream. Her life reflects the struggles most ordinary people go through in the world today. She also exhibits very important leadership. She was fearless, loyal, patient, recognized her weakness, and always ready to take advice. These are the ideal qualities that can help an individual or organization to prosper in the modern world.