Esther 10
1 King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. 2 And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.
Learning recently about my strengths, I’m struck by reading Esther this morning and the last lines of the book about Mordecai.
How much of my life is for the good of the people and how much is for the good of jeremy?
I have this strength called significance. I’m struggling with recognizing it as a strength and not just a need for affirmation and affection.
Mordecai is clearly celebrated for his work for the good of his people.
Sometimes I think God wants to honor us when we are his justice in the world. Sometimes I think it’s an act of self-aggrandizement to be honored by people. I guess it depends on if you were passionately pursuing God or if you were pursuing something just to be recognized by God.
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I often find myself in a similar place, wondering what my motives for serving are. Is it because I feel guilty that the people served are in such dire need? Is it because I’m truly trying to be God’s hands and feet — ‘Jesus with skin on,’ if you will? And sometimes it’s hard to know how to talk about such service with non-Christians (and even Christians) without seeming like someone who’s trying to get into the Kingdom by works (which is what some co-workers have implied).
I hope that, whatever the case, I am able to meet needs where they need to be met, which is one of the fundamental truths of our faith.