What Would You Do With 127 Provinces? (Part 1)

Scripture — Esther 1:1-4 (NRSV)

This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Cush. In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The army of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the governors of the provinces were present. At the same time, he displayed the great wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and pomp of his majesty for many days, one hundred eighty days in all.

Devotion

What kind of leader do you want to be? When you consider the length and breadth of your influence, how does it affect your worldview? Quite often, fear is the culprit in humble leadership. And sometimes, it is overconfidence that detracts from humble leadership. King Ahasuerus might have had both ingredients as he reigned over Persia.

The Book of Esther is an epic story about God operating behind the veil. His providential care of all things is at work, and he ensured that the Israelites would be taken care of even in exile. He is the leader par excellence. Ahasuerus is a pompous king who throws pretty big parties in a prideful culture. And unless we have no logs in our eyes, we also have some Ahasuerus in us.

First, King Ahasuerus has inherited influence. Privilege can help humble us. But the other side of the privilege coin is that it can make you forgetful. This ruler is pompous. By the end of Chapter 1, he had carried out some really large parties, provided extravagant table settings and decorations, and kept the libations coming. He ruled one hundred twenty-seven provinces with a self-serving attitude and no parameters. Esther 1:8 says, “Drinking was by ordinance without restraint, for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as each one desired.”

Next, King Ahasuerus has forgotten his history. His one hundred and twenty-seven provinces extended from present-day India to Ethiopia in Africa. It is safe to say that at least portions of the provinces were inherited. The memory lapse of the king is that he inherited provinces from someone else. He is standing on the shoulders of someone who came before him. Leaders who assume an existing role stand on the shoulders of whoever came before them. Leaders who create a role (or organization) stand on the shoulders of those in need before them. Nobody creates and leads ex nihilo. Privilege should be humbling, but it often makes us forget that something always came before us.

Finally, Ahasuerus has forgotten that it was just his third year. He perceives his privilege not as grace but as earned. His history isn’t heritage, and his position makes him presumptuous. By year three, he is not settling into marathon leadership. He is celebrating like he has made it to the destination.

What would you do with 127 provinces? Leadership is a problematic, often complex paradox of influencing others while knowing your complex frailties are ever present and capable (especially if left unrestrained) of causing issues for others. In the first four verses of Esther, King Ahasuerus provides a basis for remembering where you got your leadership from and pondering the shoulders of those you are standing on.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Esther: A Harem Girl Grows Into a Powerful Queen (Esther 4).