Have we ever thought about what is truly most valuable to our lives? Is it the educational degree we get? Position? Wealth or even the power we have? Being satisfied with all the achievements we have is not wrong. However, if all our values ​​and focus are only directed at that, that's when we have to evaluate our perspective. As God's people, we truly understand that true happiness does not lie in worldly things that can disappear, but in attachment to God and the manifestation of His love and will in our daily lives.

The Book of Esther begins with something interesting: it is not Esther who is introduced first, but a great king, Ahasuerus. He ruled 127 provinces, stretching from India to Ethiopia. An extraordinary power, covering most of the known world at that time. As recorded in the fourth verse, the king held a grand party for 180 days, just to "show off the riches of the glory of his kingdom and the splendor of his greatness." Then, he added it with a seven-day banquet for all the people in the capital city of Susa.

Historically, King Xerxes, better known as Xerxes, was a Persian king who in historical records was indeed famous for his great power. This often caused Xerxes' decisions to be colored by pride. The luxurious party, which was funded from the country's wealth, was a showcase of his "success", showing how easily humans can get caught up in the illusion of eternal power. He wanted to impress officials, people, and perhaps himself, that he was invincible. However, history proves that Xerxes' power also passed, and his kingdom did not last forever. In the midst of the grandeur of this story, a subtle but deep irony emerges: this very powerful king was unable to control the situation in his own palace. When Queen Vashti refused his orders, all that splendor seemed to be humiliated.

Bible friends, one of the threats to today's civilization is endless materialism and consumerism. Humans compete to reach a point that they interpret as success and fame. At the same time, we are trapped in endless self-gratification and bring suffering. Wealth, power, and popularity, look like bright shining stars, but their light goes out for a moment. It does not mean that we should not live in abundance and have popularity, but in God it is not a goal but a means to glorify God. King Ahasuerus seems to be a warning for our tendency to fall into excessive lust for the glitter of worldly wealth, but learn to say enough and glorify God with all our being.