Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it. Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

Sometimes we don’t always understand the “whys” behind God’s plans for us. I remember when I was seven years old, my parents had moved from Canada, after my dad went to Bible School. He took a position in California at the San Jose Rescue Mission. At school I was new and was quickly singled out for my small right hand. This was a birth defect and the kids (all but one) would call me “small fingers”. They teased me incessantly at recess, and finally my mom moved me to a different school. I was very sensitive about my small hand. My mom told me this: “Joey, you don’t understand why God gave you that small hand. It could be for a very special reason. Maybe one day you will need to reach through a small opening and get something or turn a knob to save someone’s life? Those kids who are making fun of you are really making fun of the God who made you and when they get to heaven they will be in trouble.”

It helped me take a different perspective on my small hand. After that, I never worried about it or how people responded. Later in college, God did use this small hand. I got a full college scholarship from the Washington Department of Vocational Rehabilitation because of my handicap. Otherwise, I would not have been able to pay for college. We never know God’s plan; we just have to trust him.

Esther was a very beautiful young Jewish woman. And she was in captivity. She was also an orphan, living with her uncle. She had had a hard life, but believed in God. And now, the things of this world would align to give her an opportunity to be used by God in a great way. It was her beauty and her character that would get the opportunity to shine.

Do you ever wonder why a circumstance in life happened or a disability was given to you? It may not seem fair. Can you believe God to use it for his glory?

Lord, thank you for how you took the hard thing in Esther’s life — being orphaned, and the great thing — her beauty, and created a way for her to be recognized by the King. I know that you have plans for me I cannot dream of, and you will use the hard things today and my gifts to shape me for your purposes tomorrow!