International Women’s Day: a woman of great courage and wisdom

Posted by Helen on: 03.08.2009 /

Over the last few days I’ve been thinking about whether to participate in Julie Clawson’s synchroblog of Women in the Bible in honor of International Women’s Day.

I wondered, if I participate, who would I blog about? No particular woman was springing to mind.

This morning I was driving my daughter Esther to her friend’s Purim festival (the celebration of Queen Esther saving the Jews) and all of a sudden it was obvious who I should be posting about. Can you guess? :)

I love the story of Queen Esther in the Bible. That’s partly why I wanted to name our daughter after her. (Being a good Christian in those days, of course I wanted to name her after a Bible character)

I love how Esther rises to the occasion and shows incredible courage when her uncle Mordecai challenges her to go to the King and beg him not to destroy their people. She thinks she may well achieve nothing and die for her efforts. But she does it anyway and because she is so pleasing to the King he spares her life.

Esther is very smart. She doesn’t come out with her request right away but puts a King-pleasing plan in motion that sets up a good opportunity to make it.

The book of Esther never once uses the word ‘God’, fascinatingly. Yet the invisible hand of God seemingly comes into play, with the King reading about Mordecai’s good deed in the records just at the right time.

I love how Esther triumphs through courage and wise strategy that takes into account the people she’s dealing with. Her beauty gets her into the palace but it’s really these other attributes which enable her to succeed.

If you don’t know the story, here’s a copy.

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