Kate Coleman - Esther in exile: lessons for leadership

4:14 "for if you remain silent, relief and deliverance will arrive from another place ...... you have come to royal position for such a time as this."

Esther was already a queen, she had a position of leadership already.  This was a challenge for transformational leadership.  Leading change in mind a d spirit.

Esther's story resonates with anyone who ever feels under the pressure of uncertainty and change in leadership.

It also challenges, comforts and challenges those in leadership under pressure.

Esther raises four themes from her leadership in exile.  

She speaks to some of our own experiences prophetically.  Esther was a person of God, she was therefore living a different life with differing customs.  The same may be said of many Christians in leadership today.  Faith should and does effect how we are as leaders.  We may feel that it's difficult to live as Christians, especially through our leadership.  Esther shows us that being counter-cultural and standing up for our beliefs is essential.

Esther's success depended on her ability to make happy the men around her.  We don't live under those conditions, but there are still many situations of marginalization of women in society, work and church.

Until women take their place as co-stewards in the world then God's purposes can not be fulfilled.  We as women are called to step up to leadership.

Esther was called in chapter 3 to put right mistakes made by Haman, who dictated to eradicate the Jewish people.  Esther was called to take a different approach, more peacefully.  Women think differently, are more collaborative, have a valuable role in leadership alongside men.

Sometimes it is in taking our place that we find our place.

Esther speaks of the importance of location; location is always part of the divine plan.  We do not see God's plan, we can only sense that it is there through the location of Esther in that place and time.  She was called to have an active, strategic presence.  

Are we too called to be where we are even if we don't know how?

We may not be where we want or plan to be.  It can be easy to forget that our plan for ourselves is not necessarily on the same page or book that God has for us.  But God has us where we are for a reason.  He gives us the opportunities we encounter for a reason.

"you have come to royal position for such a time as this" - you're location relates to your vocation.  As children of God we are all called by God on a vocation.  We need to find out WHY God has put us where we are.

We are not indispensable to God's plans, God will find a way if we fail; but we are called to do it "just the way we do", the special way that only we can.  We have a vocation to fulfil in our location now.

We look for activity that needs us where God has placed us, here we are called to action.

It is often in the danger and threat and upset of our lives; there we can bring about the most change.  There we see God; there we are connected spiritually and can learn more.  It is in peril that we most pray, it is through prayer that we hear our purpose; we must pray.

We may be criticised in our leadership, but must not allow ourselves to be criticised about our character; this is God given and specifically required at this place for our location.  We risk ridicule and marginalization but God will work within this.

We need to recognise that our calling may well be about what other people need of us; this might well not seem right to us, but remember God has our vocation in hand.

We emerge from a specific set of circumstances and history; this is what forms us and makes us ready for our work for God.  There is no benefit in despising our circumstances; but there is joy in discovering what we learn through them.  It is how we respond and react to our circumstances that prepares us.

Who we are is Gods gift to us; who we become is our gift to God.

The outward preparation for vocation is a sign of the inward preparation that has already taken place.  Our life experiences makes us ready for our vocation.

Exile might not be geographical, it may be an experience of body, heart and spirit.  Esther led in exile, so may we.