The story of Esther—an orphaned girl who unexpectedly is swept into a royal beauty pageant and crowned queen- is a good reminder why God raises some of us into privileged positions. One day Esther was a nobody; the next day, fortune smiled upon her: “Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti” (Esther 2:17). Coming from such a humble background, who could blame her for thinking all her struggles were finally over?

Then, all of a sudden, she is plucked out of her comfort zone. An urgent matter arose that she had little to do with. Her people were on the verge of execution due to a wicked plot led by a senior official named Haman. Her uncle and benefactor, Mordecai, was deeply disturbed and urgently brought the matter to her attention. Initially, Esther is hesitant to get involved in matters that threaten her newly found peace. But Mordecai insists: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14).

These pointed words indeed wake her out of her complacency. Esther rises to the occasion, saying, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). As a result of this resolve, Esther summoned the courage to approach King Xerxes and persuade him against the plans to exterminate the Jews, which he agreed to!

No one likes to be inconvenienced, particularly when they have finally arrived at a place of rest and enjoyment. Yet, so often, God places us into specific positions for a job bigger than we can imagine. But because we have now grown used to comfort, we  do not want to be disturbed by concerns that do not directly affect us. But just imagine: if Esther had failed to heed Mordecai’s plea, would God have failed to find another way to save His people? Absolutely not. But what would that have meant for Esther? She would have missed her divine purpose.