Day 114 – Esther: Character sketch of Mordecai

“Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.” Esther 10:3 NLT

Following Jerusalem’s last stand against Nebuchadnezzar, Mordecai’s family was deported to Babylonia. It’s possible that he was born in Susa, a city which became one of Persia’s capitals after Cyrus conquered Babylon. While maintaining his Jewish identity, Mordecai held an official government position that kept him in the palace even after the Babylonians were driven out.

Mordecai’s life was filled with challenges that changed into opportunities. He adopted Hadassa, raised her, and continued to advise her as she transformed from Hadassa the Jewish girl to Esther the Queen of Persia. Regardless of his nationality, he was willing to be God’s servant wherever he was and acted with truth and wisdom.

Strengths and accomplishments

Mordecai cared about family and adopted his cousin Hadassa. After she was crowned queen, he still looked out for her well-being.  He exposed an assassination plot against the king and refused to bow to anyone except God. He was promoted to second-in-command under the king in the place of his enemy, Haman.

Life lessons from Mordecai’s life

The opportunities we have are more important than the ones we wish we had. We can trust God to weave together events in our lives according to His plan and our future. We may not see the overall painting, but we are part of the sketch.

Prayer: Father, thank You that we can learn from Mordecai to never compromise our beliefs even when in hostile environments. May we act righteously and guide those You have entrusted to us with Your truth. Amen.