A Gift from Seattle

This past Sunday Beryl and I had the privilege of attending Bethany Community Church of Green Lake in north Seattle. The pastor did a “teaching” sermon on the book of Esther. Yes, it’s in the Bible! Though the sermon’s length (perhaps 45 minutes) would have gotten him tar and feathered in most Lutheran Churches, I don’t believe that anyone in the church, packed with mostly young adults, was eager to leave. Neither was I. Using a PowerPoint presentation to just give the outline of the main points, the pastor went through the book of Esther and tied it in with life today … admirably!

I didn’t take notes but I’d like to relate to you some of the helpful ideas that I gleaned during this time with our family. First of all, the pastor shocked me a bit by specifically mentioning that Martin Luther hated this book of the Bible! He would have had it purged from the Scriptures. Yes, and at first, when the pastor described the story recounted, I could see why Luther would find reasons to dislike this book. First of all, it’s plays out like a shallow “soap opera.” Here’s a Moabite King living sumptuously and throwing drunken parties. After his first Queen refuses to “dance” at one of the drunken parties he goes on a hedonistic quest to find a new queen. Queen Esther, a Jew, comes out the clear “winner.” And it’s a good thing, too because she eventually needs to use her wit to save her and her people from a genocide plot engineered by Haman, one of the King’s power-hungry servants.

It makes for an interesting read but there is no mention of God … not even prayer, in the entire book!

Yet as I recall, the pastor found several rich gems in this interesting story.

1. Esther accepted her slavery. Yes, she was a captive Israelite in a foreign country, yet she accepted these limitations and made the best of them. Here the pastor tied in this reality with our own. WE ARE ALL SLAVES to one thing or another. We may be slaves to health problems, a job that we really don’t like, a difficult marriage, difficult co-workers, personality traits that we don’t like about ourselves … etc. We’re always going to have to be a slave in one form or another. The important thing is to accept it. Yes, accept the “slavery” we’re dealt and not always be grumbling and complaining, daydreaming and escaping … or being miserably envious of others. NO. Like Esther, we need to accept the cards we’re dealt.
2. Esther operated in the sphere of what she COULD do, not in the area that was outside her control. Here the pastor made reference to the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey where the author makes the point that we need to operate within the “sphere of influence” which IS in our grasp and not always waste our time worrying about those things that are outside our control. Esther, as “Queen” knew that she could not approach the king directly and so she invited Haman and the King to two successive dinners where she then impressed the King, elevated her uncle (who wouldn’t bow down to Haman) and then effectively diffused the genocide plot. You’ll just have to read this book! It’s a gem. But the point is, she did what she could. The pastor held up his hands and made a circle with his fingers to show the “sphere of influence” that IS within our grasp … whatever that might be. Those things outside of that circle are not for us to worry about. We can’t change our spouse or our children … or our co-workers or even our best friends. But we can change our attitude, forgive, pray for wisdom, make our personal peace with God and turn others over to God’s ways which are wonderfully wiser and more effective than ours! For instance, say you have a relative who is drinking or eating him/herself into poor health. Worry? No, that’s outside our control. But what we CAN we do? We can pray, write a card honestly highlighting those things we like about him/her, remembering specific things or activities which have blessed us. These are things we can do. Esther used her energies in doing what she could do!
3. Yes, there was a third point but I can’t remember it. I accept the fact that I’m a slave to my limited memory and I know that some things are just outside of my control! But I hope you’ve enjoyed sharing in a sermon which blessed me.

Esther, I’m with you!

Pr. Dan