TREASURES OF THE BIBLE, Week September 4 to 10, 2023, "Strive to be modest like Esther", Prepared Speech.

TREASURES OF THE BIBLE, September 4-10-2023, "Strive to be modest like Esther", Prepared Speech. 

“Strive to be modest like Esther” (10 min.).

After having listened to the introduction and description of the book of Esther, we are going to talk about that woman during four weeks of which we will analyze the book of Esther. As mentioned, she is the middle name of a woman that appears as a Bible book title after the book of Ruth.

And what we are going to analyze now in this section of Treasure of the Bible has to do with: "Strive to be modest like Esther." In the introduction it was said that this woman had a very simple and humble origin, she was an Israelite. 

However, she came to reach a very important position within the reign of Persian roots Ahasuerus. She had particular characteristics and qualities that made her be chosen to replace the Queen who was removed from office due to a bad attitude. What was it that characterized this young Israelite? If we look here in the book of Esther chapter 2 and verse 7, we will find this outstanding quality that characterized this young woman. The text says the following:

LET'S READ ESTHER 2:7.

Mordecai was the guardian of his cousin Hadassá, that is, Esther, since she had been orphaned. The young woman was very attractive and had a nice figure. When her parents died, Mordecai had adopted her as her daughter.

In the text that we have just read, qualities such as beautiful and a beautiful figure are highlighted. We must understand that we are not talking about a normal beauty, we are talking about a future queen. So she had to impress the king, therefore she had to be extraordinarily beautiful. And that's where Esther's modesty comes in. 

And this is where we want to see her example. But for that we must understand what does the word modesty mean? And it is the lack of conceit and attitude of not giving importance to personal qualities or merits or boasting about them. 

It is interesting that a reference work says that modest is: "Stay within limits." But one thing we want to understand is that modesty is not a natural characteristic of imperfect human beings.

It is not something that we are born to do. We all recognize that we have certain special qualities, but this is where we must strive to cultivate modesty and know our limits.

In the case of each one of us, we know that we can be good preachers, by conducting a Bible course to be excellent teachers, by giving a speech from the platform we can also stand out and that can cause us to attract attention like Esther and her beauty. 

Now when they tried to give Esther special consideration. Let's see what her reaction was despite having those special qualities or characteristics. If we look at the book of Esther again, but now at verse 9 of chapter 2. It says the following:

LET'S READ ESTHER 2:9.

Hegái liked the girl and gained his favor.* He immediately saw to it that she received her beauty treatments and a special diet. He also gave her seven of the best maids in the king's house. He then he moved her and her servants to the best place in the women's house.

Here we can notice that there is a special treatment for those characteristics. The same can happen in our case, some good spiritual quality that we reflect, may praise us or treat us differently from others, but our special privileges should not influence us to cross the limit or feel conceited for that quality that stands out in us. 

When it was time to appear before the king, Esther could have taken advantage of her beautiful figure and beauty to win the king's favor, but let's see what happened now in Esther Chapter 2 verse 5. Did you find it? Accompany me with the reading please it says like this:

LET'S READ ESTHER 2:15.

When Esther—the adopted daughter of Mordecai, who was the nephew of Abihail, the girl's father—comed her turn to appear before the king, she only asked for what Hegai, the king's eunuch and guardian of the palace, had recommended. women. (During all that time, Ester was winning over everyone who saw her).

It is interesting that she had everyone's favor, she could take advantage of everything she wanted to meet the King's approval. But she followed the advice of the King's Eunuch and so she did, without highlighting more than her physical beauty already did.

 It is true that we may have some quality that stands out from others, but let us be careful not to imply that we enjoy special privileges and deserve different treatment OR that we have different information from others and that we want to imply that we do not possess it. For that reason in our activity guide it says "What do my words and my actions show about the opinion I have of myself?". 

And as we see in our Activity Guide the image of Esther, a young woman who stood out from the rest, but never sought special treatment, she did the simplest thing because she had the necessary qualities. And we also want to do the same to demonstrate humility, it is not easy to be modest, it is not something natural we must cultivate it, but without a doubt with the help of Jehovah and not going beyond the limits, we will be able to strive to be modest as Esther was.