We’ve all been there…ready to be grown and live life on our own terms. It’s like I hit 16 and my mom couldn’t tell me anything. And this is the number one reason why I’m not shocked that my 16 year old is on a copy, paste, repeat of my 16 year old know it all phase. I say left. She says right. I say sit. She says stand. So what do I do when I want to be received as opposed to right? What do I do because none of my other kiddos ever did anything like this? I go to someone who knows a thing or two about raising kids.
When I need raising kids advice, I go to my mom because she raised some amazing kids, if I do say so myself. When I need strategy advice, I go to my executive coach. When life is beating me up, I go to my Pastor or my therapist. We all have someone here on Earth that we need to get instruction from to help us make sound decisions. And as we continue in our Soft Series and study of Esther we see Esther, even in the position of Queen, took advice from someone, Mordecai, her uncle, who knew king business. Let’s see what we can glean and apply to our lives!
It doesn’t matter that you’ve moved from the preparation phase to the actual position, you need someone to help guide you in affairs that may be happening around you but you’re not privy to see or understand firsthand. 2 areas of thinking and 2 practical applications this week coming from Esther 2: 19-20
Queen business & King Business are different: Esther was Queen and she had gotten the hang of her role but she didn’t hold an official responsibility outside of the wife to her husband. Mordecai was connected to the conversations that impacted finances, the people, and politics. As queen, she had a sphere of influence but not a sphere of insight into king affairs. We have to know how to use our influence and that requires having insights that may sometimes need to come from a trusted advisor. Mordecai saw and heard things, Esther did not. Take heed from people that have eyes across the larger ecosystem, while you carry out your role.
Everyone follows instructions: You are not still needing to follow instructions because you haven’t arrived! You need to follow instructions because you have in fact ARRIVED and God has given you influence over people that will be life changing for many. But if you misuse that influence or are misguided because you are following TikTok and not Biblical principles, you jeopardize the impact of your influence. Mordecai’s instruction was not just what was best for Esther personally, it was what was best for their heritage and future. I truly believe if followership is beneath you, leadership is beyond you. When we go to church or read God’s word, we have a tendency to want the prosperity prophecy and to reaffirm the promises of God. Why? Because that feels good to the soul after life has been life’n. But the prophesy cannot say anything that scripture doesn’t already say. The Bible says, “All scripture is inspired by God and useful to teach us what is true and what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us what is right.” So what am I saying here? The promise attached to your lives is TRUE and good sound instruction will help us get to that promise by showing us what is wrong in our lives. Desire both!
So how do you apply this in your lives and be productive?
Get a mentor in every area of your life. Don’t cheat yourself by missing out on instruction that will ensure your influence makes the right impact!
Take the instruction from others because what is good for the member of the body is just good for the body. So here’s some instruction I received recently regarding fasting and the tone in which I speak to my children.
Fasting- Fasting is going to have to be a way of life for you. Where God is taking you and the lives you will impact, you will need power. Just like Jesus told the disciples this kind of power only comes by fasting and prayer.
How to fast? I won’t give you a recipe for fasting. What I will say is dedicate your heart to God and commit what you believe is God deserving when you fast. And when you fast from physical food, DO NOT FORGET to feast on your spiritual food. Push back from the table and pull up in your prayer closet. You are not just abstaining from french fries, you need to be absorbing the word of God.
Tone in speech- My mom told me to stop yelling at my kids when I am frustrated. She said it’s just as much about saying what is right, as it is about being received. You can share sternly without screaming.
Tips- Remember Proverbs 15:4 “A gentle tongue is a tree of life…” If you want to be wise, read Proverbs. It has practical ways to be wise- knowing what to do and when to do it- for everyday living. We want to plant seeds that bloom into trees, not shrubs with all that screaming. Speak to your children with life tones because God is BIG on legacy and the promise attached to your life may very well be coming through your kiddos. Don’t break their spirits with all that screaming.
Ok, this was a LONG blog. If you want the short version, check out the YouTube Video below! I love you. God loves you more!
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