Has your identity become an extension of their position and power? (121-2)

Wise leaders regard their position and power as tools to serve their team not to manipulate others and elevate themselves. Read Esther 1.

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah focus on the Jews that left exile in Babylon to return to Judah and Jerusalem. In contrast, the book of Esther focuses on the Jews that did not go to Judah but stayed in Babylon under Persian control. The Persians were the dominate world power and their empire extended from India to Ethiopia and included all of what we call the Middle East today and was made up of 127 different provinces. The Persian king ruling over this vast empire was named Xerxes.Xerxes is known in history as an effective leader. He made the hard decisions and led his nation effectively for twenty years during a volatile period of history. Xerxes knew wealth and power that few leaders will ever experience. Even though history judges him as a great leader because of the way he directed his nation, his personal actions also show he was self-indulgent, willing to flaunt his wealth and had few moral standards. In chapter 1 of the book of Esther in the third year of Xerxes reign, to show off his wealth, he invited military leaders, princes and nobles from the 127 provinces under Persian rule to a banquet in his capitol city of Susa that lasted for six months.

At the end of the banquet for his royal guests from the provinces, Xerxes gave a party lasting seven days for all the people of the capitol city to show his appreciation for their work during the previous 180 days. In a drunken moment to impress the guests he ordered his Queen Vashti to display her beauty to his drunken friends by coming into the banquet hall wearing her crown and royal robes. When Vashti refused his demand, he became furious and ultimately had her removed from the palace and removed her as queen.

Xerxes fell prey to the danger implicit in leadership when power is unrestrained by moral standards. He confused his identity as a man before God with his earthly position and power. As the ruler of an entire empire, Xerxes did whatever he wished. He allowed neither conscience nor convention to limit his actions. Xerxes’ display of his power and possessions reveals an arrogance that is incompatible with a wise and benevolent use of power and position. Such leadership may well feed the leader’s ego, but in the end it produces disarray and a sliding scale of justice. Lack of accountability to set moral standards makes day-to-day living uncertain, even dangerous, for those who live under such leadership.

Wise leaders do not allow their identity to become an extension of their position and power.