Imagine an athlete competing in the world championships. He has trained for years, overcome many challenges, and finally reached the pinnacle of his career. However, when he is on the verge of victory, he is faced with the temptation to cheat to ensure his victory. Would he choose the easy path but violate his principles, or would he fight with integrity? Our daily lives are often full of similar moral dilemmas. We try to uphold our faith and integrity, but at the same time a tempting offer comes with the condition of mortgaging all our principles and integrity. The same moral dilemma can also be found in today's reading.
After going through many challenges, the Jews finally got the chance to defend themselves from Haman's threat of genocide. With the permission of King Ahasuerus, they defended themselves, fought their enemies and achieved victory. However, there was one thing that was different from the custom of the time, the Jews did not take the spoils of their enemies. Three times in this chapter it is mentioned that they did not touch the spoils, even though they were legally allowed to do so (Esther 9:10, 15, 16). This decision shows that they fought not for personal gain, but for justice and survival.
After the struggle was over the Jews did not remain silent. They designated the day of victory as Purim, a day of joy and sharing (Esther 9:18-19). They used the victory as an opportunity to thank God and share with others.
Friends of the Bible, there are times when we are struggling with life's challenges, we are tempted to look for shortcuts or take advantage of difficult situations. Remember that true victory is not just about achieving the desired result, but also about how we achieve it. Isn't that temptation very real in many dimensions of our lives? In the world of work, we might see an opportunity to get promoted in an unconventional way. In business, there may be opportunities to make huge profits at the expense of moral values. In social relationships, we may be tempted to sacrifice our principles to be accepted by others. But remember that God calls us to stick to integrity, even if it means we have to work harder or wait longer to see results.
