SCRIPTURE: Esther 2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home. [Esther 2:20]
We recently celebrated Canada Day, I am a citizen of Canada, and I am loyal to the nation, the government and the people; but my deepest loyalty is not to Canada.
Esther was a Jew, she was also the queen of Babylon; but her deepest loyalty was not to Babylon or Xerxes.
In this story we see how God works through His people in a foreign setting; we find God’s people working for the welfare of the nation that they are in, but for the sake of their God and their deepest loyalty.
God’s people are not spies or saboteurs, secretly undermining their host culture; God’s people are servants of God who bless the people around them with the love and blessing they have from God.
We see this in how Mordecai and Esther handle the plot to overthrow Xerxes.

Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” [John 18:36]
Jesus’ attitude ought to be our attitude – our ultimate loyalty is not to the nation or government of this world, but to God and to His realm.
As Jesus says, if our loyalty was to an earthly kingdom, then we would have to fight and manoeuvre and scheme against the other kingdoms; we would not work for the blessing of our host culture if our loyalty was to an earthly kingdom.
But because our deepest loyalty is to God and to His kingdom, we can be confident that He will work things out, His kingdom will come.
And because of this confidence, we can be loyal to our nation here on earth; we can pray for our government leaders and bless our neighbours and work against injustice and serve the public interest.
As agents of the God of peace, we do what we can to promote peace; as agents for the God of justice, we do what we can to promote justice; as agents of the God of love and mercy, we do what we can to promote love and mercy.

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favourites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” [1 Peter 1:17]
Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbours. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honourable behaviour, and they will give honour to God when he judges the world. [1 Peter 2:11-12]
To live as “temporary residents and foreigners” is to live ultimately for God and His kingdom first, and then as a result for the blessing of our earthly neighbours.
We do not join in their evil practices, we do not share their selfish values, we do not compromise our moral integrity; what we do is share God’s blessing and love because this is what citizens of God’s kingdom do!
Through our honourable behaviour, our unbelieving neighbours are blessed, God is honoured and His kingdom comes.

Today think of yourself like Esther; living like a foreign missionary as an agent of the Lord for good and blessing.
In your workplace, in whatever setting you find yourself in, bring honour and glory to God by blessing those that you are with, that they may know that THIS is what God’s kingdom is all about!

PRAYER:
Lord, show me where I can bless my neighbours today in Your Name. Remind me that my ultimate loyalty is to You, and that this means I need to love and bless those that You send me to be among.