February 8, 2008

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
          
--Esther 4:13-16

Have you ever thought about how your choices can either help you fulfill God’s plan for your life… or keep you from it?

Esther’s life teaches us that God is deeply interested in our character… not our appearance, our money, or our talent. He is seeking people with godly character to fulfill His purposes on the earth. 

Character is something that is built and proven over time. And the way we develop character in our lives is by consistently making choices to follow God’s way—not our own way—each and every day.

That’s what set Esther apart. She made a choice to make the lives of others more important than her own… which, of course, is what Jesus commands us to do also. And by making that choice, God used her to save an entire nation from genocide!

Now, not everyone will be called to save a nation. But you just don’t know what kind of impact your choices and daily obedience to Christ will have on the lives of others!

It’s exciting to realize that God can use anybody—including you and me—to be a part of His purposes for this earth. And you can live a life of incredible significance right where you are.

You don’t have to be famous or beautiful or clever to make a mark on this world. You just need to make right choices, every day, to live in obedience to God… and watch what happens!

Just like Esther, you’ll find yourself presented with all kinds of incredible opportunities to impact people’s lives for the better… and to bring pleasure and glory to God through your life. 

THE WAY TO DEVELOP CHARACTER IS TO CONSISTENTLY MAKE CHOICES TO FOLLOW GOD’S WAY EVERY DAY.