Don't forget to read the story of Esther and my last post on supporting characters!
Everyone who thinks of the Esther story probably comes away with the lesson of bravery, courage, standing up for others/what you believe in. That's a great lesson, one that is definitely found in these pages. However, it's not the only lesson. Far from it! I give you, in order of appearance, the other lessons I've found in Esther.
From the king: Drinking is a bad idea. Choices made while you're drunk should not be acted on. Don't depend on your friends to make your decisions for you, and definitely don't trust their advice if they're infuriated or drunk. (Actually, in that case, find new friends!)
You should think through your decisions before setting them in stone. Disagreeing with or being mad at someone is not a good reason to cut them out of your life. Don't make big choices in a small amount of time. Try to keep your temper under control.
And if you do decide to drink/party, never ever ever act on your impulses. Wait until after the hangover; at that point, you'll either not remember anything or realize just how stupid the idea was.
From Mordecai: True heroes sacrifice what they want for what is best. True men provide for, protect, and lead those under their care. A good father is one who works hard. A hero will always put God and others before himself.
You should not value men's opinion over God's, but you shouldn't stick your head in the sand, either - stay involved in current events and life around you. High politic positions, even if the government is far from godly, should not be written off by those who follow God. In fact, they should be sought. After all, if Christians flee, hide from, or ignore an ungodly government, who's going to lead the country back to the right path?
Fear is never the right voice to listen to. Always trust God, even when life makes no sense.
From Haman: Humility goes a long way. A short temper leads to all sorts of problems. Conflict and drama in your life can much more easily be avoided if you let things slide off your back instead of taking them personally. Never jump to conclusions about a group of people based on one person's behavior. Revenge? Not really something you want to get involved with.
From Esther: (Besides being brave, and doing right when it's hard, and that sort of typical Esther-lesson.) Follow your parents' advice and listen to your elders, whether or not you like what they're saying. Respect towards authority goes a loooong way. A humble, meek spirit holds more value than all the makeup, jewelry, and fine clothes in the world.
However, you shouldn't forsake your physical appearance, either. After all, this girl won a beauty contest spanning an entire kingdom which contained the majority of the known world. Clearly she made use of that year of beautifying time and the cosmetics and materials available to her. It's not a sin to wear makeup/jewelry, do your hair, have nice clothes, etc. That stuff becomes a sin when you place more value or spend more time on it than you do spiritual matters and the people around you.
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