It keeps happening throughout the story of the Bible that God’s people are exalted to places of great influence. It happened with Joseph and Moses in Egypt, with Daniel among the Babylonians, and now it happens to Mordecai and Esther among the Persians. Here in chapter 8 Mordecai is given the highest rank in Persia below the king. Given how large and powerful the Persian Empire was at the time, this made Mordecai one of the most powerful men in the world! The pattern of these occurrences throughout Scripture is no coincidence. God is fulfilling his promise to his people to bless them and to make their name great so that they can be a blessing to many others (Genesis 12:2-3). The Psalmist declares in Psalm 145 that God “raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes”. God will give his people positions of influence in order to bring divine influence to bear on the realms over which they have authority. Everyone, however, has some degree of influence where they are however great or small. It may only be with a handful of people, or it may be with a company of people. God does not want us to use our influence to impose our beliefs on others. Jesus repeatedly taught that God’s Kingdom would not come in an imposing way but in a slow and grassroots fashion like yeast spreading through dough or like a small seed growing into a tree (Matthew 13:31-33). Whether your position of influence is great or small your effectiveness lies in small acts of faith and love.
Ask God to help you influence others for good today.
Read Esther 8
