Esther Chapter 2: Becoming a Butterfly

Esther Chapter 2  
Becoming a Butterfly

7. 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 parents died.

10. Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.

11. Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

◇ After the destruction of her homeland, Esther finds herself living in a foreign land, having been forcibly relocated. She lost her parents at an early age and was raised under the care of her uncle. Though her uncle raised her with love as if she were his own daughter, one might wonder if it was the same as having her parents' care.

Now, hoping to become the queen, she enters the palace and lives a life of tension, hiding her ethnic identity and enduring each day as it comes.

I'm reminded of a scene from an insect documentary I once saw. It was time for a butterfly larva to emerge from its cocoon. The struggle to break free from the cocoon was so pitiable that someone cut the end of the cocoon to help it. However, when the butterfly emerged, it couldn’t spread its wings to fly and simply died.

For a larva to become a butterfly and fly freely in the sky, it must endure the difficult and painful process of breaking out of the cocoon on its own. It must do so without the help of others.

Growth requires patience. Growth requires pain. Growth requires doing some things on one's own.

God will use Esther in His work of saving the people of Israel. To be a part of God's salvific work, Esther must endure the painful period of breaking out of her cocoon. Although the time of transformation from a larva to a butterfly is difficult and uncomfortable, she must persevere.

♧ God, help me to endure this day well. Allow me to be used as a tool in Your work, enduring alongside You. Holy Spirit, lead me in truth. Amen.