Queen Esther was encouraged by her uncle Mordecai that “it was for a moment like this” that she became part of the royal family (Esther 4:14 CEB). She persisted in her efforts to convince the King to spare the Jewish people “the evil plot” of Haman, a royal official (Esther 8:3 CEB).
The Rev. Marti J. Steussy, PhD, who wrote the commentary for Esther in our new #CEBWomensBible, said about the book: “We tend to read scripture silently or in a very respectful, serious tone, perhaps because we assume that its job is to inform and instruct. But Esther’s drama and comic exaggerations may aim to cheer and encourage rather than instruct us—to touch our hearts rather than our heads (some of the Psalms work this way, too). Ancient people would have expected the book to be read aloud with lots of expression and probably audience participation.”
Who will you speak out for today? How will you persist?
Cokesbury Commons 