Introduction
Even though being part of the Old Testament canon, the term ‘God’ is not mentioned anywhere in the book of Esther, but numerous hints reflect His presence. How a leadership principle from Esther can be practised by contemporary Indian Christian leaders?
Embrace being or becoming vulnerable
“Being faithful is being or becoming vulnerable” – is one of the sermon sub-topics of Dr Jayakumar Christian’s chapel message on Friday, January 11, 2019. This title really captivated our mind, as a result, we do not want to use another tagline for a leadership principle. A well-known scholar Henri Nouwen states, “I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self.” There is no sense of vulnerability phase found when an ordinary Jewish girl Esther became the replacement of Queen Vashti by winning a “beauty contest.” But, the joy and celebration of Queen Esther’s household did not last long when her cousin and guardian Mordecai heard the plot against the Jews by Haman, a cliffhanging moment.
Esther was hesitant at first to act when she heard the plan of Haman from Mordecai to erase the Jewish people from the face of the earth. However, she agreed to work with Mordecai (Est. 4:12–14) though she had a choice: to be used or not. Soon after, Esther calls for a fast and follows it not taking food and water for three days and approach the King (Est. 4:16). If someone approaches the king without being sent for, the most likely outcome is their death. Esther may be a queen, but she has no more privileges than anyone else in the royal court at Susa, cannot approach the king without being summoned. And for a whole month, the king hasn’t given her a passing thought. The king loved Esther above all other women (Est. 2:17), at the same time, how he will react to her entry to the throne room uninvited? She is now coming with no strength, but with profound weakness after three days of fasting, most importantly, she embraces the vulnerability by saying, “If I perish, I perish.” (Est. 4:16). Moreover, she made herself vulnerable rather than to fight power with power.
How an Indian Christian leader can practise being vulnerable?
Jewish were the minority community in the Persian Empire of Esther’s time and Indian Christians are the minority population in India, which is not even three per cent. Esther’s vulnerability to power and death enabled her to show great initiative and courage. Most importantly, God preserved “the offspring of Abraham for His purpose of bringing blessing to the whole world through them.” According to ‘Open Doors’, India ranks eleventh in the world on Persecution against Christians, especially, the rank increased in the last three years due to various powerful Hindutva parties such as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Shiv Sena and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Instead of choosing to fight power with power, take the way of the cross, stand by our convictions, and make ourselves vulnerable. That means vulnerable to persecution, ridicule and unpleasant situations. God will put us into a situation wherever he wants us to be to carry His task forward. The situation may vary: good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, abundance or poverty, healthy or unhealthy and so on. And it is our responsibility to do the task by embracing the vulnerability, and the book of Esther illustrates “the fact that divine providence does not negate the responsibility of the people to act with courage and resolve when circumstances require it.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Adeney, Miriam. “Esther across Cultures: Indigenous Leadership Roles for Women.” Missiology 15, no. 3 (July 1987): 323–37.
“Bible Gateway Passage: Esther 4:14 – New International Version.” Bible Gateway. Accessed January 10, 2019. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther+4%3A14&version=NIV.
“Christian Persecution in India.” Open Doors USA (blog). Accessed January 11, 2019. https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/india/.
Crossway, ESV Bibles by. ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway, 2008.
Cunningham, Loren, and Joel Hamilton David. Why Not Women ? Seattle: YWAM, 2000.
Duguid, Iain M. Esther & Ruth: Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2005.
Green, Alexander. “POWER, DECEPTION, AND COMEDY: THE POLITICS OF EXILE IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER.” Jewish Political Studies Review 23, no. 1/2 (2011): 61–78.
Nouwen, Henri J M. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. New York: Crossroad, 1989.
Peters, Janelle. “Rahab, Esther, and Judith as Models for Church Leadership in 1 Clement.” Journal of Early Christian History 5, no. 2 (2015): 94–110.
Porter, Jeanne. Leading Lessons: Insights on Leadership from Women of the Bible. Augsburg Books, 2005.
Reid, Debra. Ruth and Esther: Put Your Life in the Lord’s Hands. Leicester: Crossway Books, 2000.