When the world calls you worthless and broken, will you accept that name or claim the title God speaks over you instead?
It should come as no surprise that I’ve been thinking a lot about the book of Esther lately. Over the last two years, I’ve dug into the text, read commentaries, and watched several movie adaptations. (My favorite is the Veggietales version, no joke.)
Some Bible stories become so familiar to us that we stop seeing them with new eyes. We forget that the Word of God is living, that we can read the same passage a hundred times and receive new peace, wisdom, or revelation with every read.
So, I shouldn’t have been surprised when God dropped a completely new thought about this powerful book into my mind, but I was.
I was leading worship at church—have you noticed how many of my big faith moments have happened during worship?—and a thought popped into my head out of nowhere. That’s often how God talks to me, through seemingly random, uncharacteristically wise thoughts.
Some Esther facts for context. Esther’s real name was Hadassah. She changed it when she was forced to abandon her life and plans and move to the palace as a potential new bride for the king. Let’s be clear, Hadassah/Esther did not volunteer for this opportunity. Along with many other young virgins, she was taken from her home and put through twelve months of beauty treatments culminating in one night with the king.
The Bible does not say what happened that night and every Esther adaption plays it out differently (mine included). But the Bible says the next day, each woman was moved into the king’s harem with the concubines…so we can make some assumptions.
If the king wanted to spend another night with one of his concubines, he had to ask for her by name. If he never asked for her again, the woman spent the rest of her life in the harem, unable to marry, unable to live the life she planned. This was the destiny forced on Esther against her will.
The world said you are spoiled, used, property. The king’s whore.
This is the thought that struck me during worship that day. Yes, that exact word. That is the name the world gave to Esther.
But it’s not the name God gave her.
I do not for one second believe God put his precious daughter in this situation. No one is kidnapped and abused for God’s glory. That’s not how He works. He is the Redeemer, Savior, Helper, and Friend.
But when the wickedness of the world put Esther in that place, God stepped in and said, “The world has called you a whore, but I will call you a queen.”
It’s not the only time God has flipped the script for one of His children. Think about it:
Again and again and again throughout Scripture we see the name the world tries to tattoo across a man or woman’s heart obliterated by the Truth God speaks over them instead.
No one remembers Esther the concubine. Today, we’re inspired and encouraged by Esther the queen.
But I guarantee you, she had to view herself that way before she was able to act as bravely and faithfully as she did. She had to accept the name the Lord gave her.
What about you?
Has the world tried to name you, label you, accuse you? Have you believed you deserved that brand? Or have you let God give you a new name, one that is true and right and eternal? In case you need one, here are some wonderful names He offers:
There are hundreds more, all waiting in His Word. I highly recommend choosing a few to claim as your own.
