Thought

Mordecai (MORE-duh-kye), a Jewish man, had to be wise to survive. He lived in a city where his people were foreigners and didn’t fit in. Mordecai understood the dangers of palace life, so he knew how to advise Esther in the ways of the king’s court. In a similar message from the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus told His followers to be “shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Life in this world is difficult, and we need to be prepared. We need to look to God for wisdom we can count on, by reading the Bible, through prayer, and by listening to our parents and other trustworthy people God has placed in our lives.

Word

Esther 2:20 NIV

But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.

Question

How did King Xerxes (ZURK-zees) die?

God saved the king—but just once that we know of—through Mordecai. According to some historians, about 14 years later, the leader of the king’s bodyguard led a rebellion and assassinated Xerxes and one of his sons.

Challenge

Share some of your own wisdom. Write a letter, email, or text to a younger sibling, cousin, or friend, telling them one life lesson you’ve learned—even if you had to find out the hard way. It could be as practical as “Don’t put your pet goldfish in the bathtub” or as personal as “Helping a friend cheat on a test doesn’t really help anyone.”

Prayer

God, give me wisdom to know who seeks to harm me and who is trustworthy. Give me courage to speak out when I see evil happening. Amen.