Read ESTHER 2:19–23

There have been more than twenty attempts to assassinate sitting and former United States presidents. Four presidents have been killed in office: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy. In today’s passage, King Xerxes is the target of an assassination plot, and the hero of the story is Mordecai.

Esther and Mordecai continued to have a close relationship even after she became queen. She obeyed his instructions to keep her nationality and family background a secret; knowing what his own family had suffered in the past, Mordecai had good reason to be concerned for Esther. He knew that she could easily become a target of jealous rivals in the court, and the popularity she now enjoyed could quickly turn into persecution.

Esther respected Mordecai. Even though she was married to a king, she honored him as a father and turned to him for advice. As a Jewish girl, Esther was no doubt familiar with the commandment in Exodus 20:12. The Hebrew word

for honor suggests a significant, lifelong responsibility. It means to give high regard, respect, and esteem to someone. Certainly Esther gave that honor and respect to Mordecai and valued his wisdom and perspective.

As he sat at the gates of the palace, Mordecai made a surprising discovery (v. 21). He overheard a discussion between two of the king’s officers who were plotting to execute the king. Mordecai confided in Esther, who immediately warned the king. And she went further: she made sure to give the credit to Mordecai, so that his wisdom would be captured in the official record. Her decision to honor Mordecai in this way meant that he was noted for posterity as a hero—the man who saved the king.

APPLY THE WORD

We should pay honor to the men and women who have shaped our lives, whether they are our biological parents, teachers, pastors, neighbors, or friends. Take a moment to thank God for those who have played a part in your life. Share their story with your children and grandchildren as a way to honor them and preserve a record of their lives in the next generations.

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