I recently re-read the account of an influential person. The story has a great plot and reads like a Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale.
Once upon a time …
a regular teen girl of no fame or notoriety was pulled into the palace of the great king for the purpose of selecting a replacement queen, because the first one was banished for disrespecting her husband, the king. The young unknown participated in a year long competition of poise and beauty and was selected the new queen of the land. The caveat occurred as she was placed in a difficult predicament of either surrendering her people of origin–a large population of the kingdom–to the evil conspiracy of one of the king’s confidantes, or surrendering her own life by addressing the king to save her people. Her cousin convinced her she was the only person who might have the influence required to help their people. This young queen utilized her influence with the king, saving her people from certain demise. The evil conspirator and his entire family paid the ultimate price for his plot. The happily ever after was the young queen lived out her days as queen of the land.
What a story! And, it is all true.
The kingdom was Susa and the King was Xerxes. The evil conspirator was Haman. The young lady was Hadassah, renamed Esther, and her cousin was Mordecai.
This drama contains several lessons. Today my focus is on leadership.
In this account, Mordecai was influential among the Jews, a leader. While he was sitting at the king’s gate he overheard a conversation between two of the king’s officials who were conspiring against the king. Mordecai went to the palace and told Esther who, while in the throes of competition to become queen, informed the king. The incident was recorded in the king’s chronicles and Mordecai’s reputation for loyalty and integrity was established.
Haman, the king’s adviser and confidante, advanced in authority and position. Unfortunately, Haman had a fatal flaw, pride.
You see, Haman was in a place of authority he believed he deserved. He had possession of the king’s signet ring. Everyone knew who Haman was because of his position and paid homage to him because of it, everyone, except Mordecai.
Haman thought highly of himself. Thus, his jealousy burned. Veiled behind a counterfeit smile jealousy grew to envy, causing Haman to plot against Mordecai and all the Jews. Haman wanted Mordecai and everyone associated with him to pay the price for not honoring him. He spoke to his wife, Zeresh, stating that although he was brought into the queen’s banquet given only for the king and himself, it was not enough to satisfy his hatred (Wow! That is some serious hate!) His wife, along with their friends, told him to build a gallows and have Mordecai hung on them. Haman would be satisfied only by prohibiting Mordecai from being recognized, causing him to be dishonored, and killing him to make that happen.
Position. Influence. Pride. Envy.
Position does not make one a leader. Haman demanded attention from others because of his position rather than using his influential position to serve others.
In contrast, Mordecai led from the middle. He had positive influence because he was loyal to the king, to Esther, and to his own people, the Jews. He was a man of integrity who desired no destruction on anyone but instead hoped to save his people through his influence with one person.
Haman was preoccupied with pride in himself. He wanted people to celebrate him. His jealousy grew to envy consuming his heart with the desire to bring down Mordecai.
Esther gained her position because of her influence with Xerxes. While Esther possessed outward beauty “of form and face,” more significantly, her beauty emanated from her heart. Esther’s heart was on others making her a positive force for the kingdom and for the Jews.
So how does the story end?
Mordecai was honored and celebrated in the streets of Susa, wearing the royal robe Haman had coveted. Haman got hung up–literally–on his pride. Haman and his family were hanged on the gallows he had intended for Mordecai, while Esther lived out her days as Queen of Susa.
Pride is the first knot in the noose and tightens with each jealous thought and act of envy.
If we possess position, we must use it to serve. Leading successfully means influencing others no matter our position.
Leadership is influence. Influence with wisdom opens doors. When we draw near to God, He draws near to us. When we seek God’s nearness, as Esther did when she called for a fast, we can ask for wisdom and He gives it freely. Esther sought God to help her influence the king. With God’s wisdom, we will also influence others toward Him.
