In the story of Esther, Esther was put in a position that benefited others. She was a Jew living in exile, that is, away from her homeland, among other conquered peoples.
The story of Esther:
The king, Xerxes, banished the old queen and Esther was chosen as his new queen. She had been warned by her cousin Mordecai not to reveal her Jewish identity. Mordecai is a gatekeeper, and overhears a plot by two of the king's men to assassinate him. Mordecai passes this along to the queen, Esther, and the plan is foiled. The two men are executed and the king is safe.
A man named Haman becomes the king's highest official. Haman hates it, though, that Mordecai will not bow down to him. Knowing that Mordecai is Jewish, he asks the king to issue a decree that all the Jews be killed, since they don't follow the king's orders and are dangerous to his rule.
Mordecai learns of the decree and goes into mourning. He knows only one person can save them - the king - and that Esther is in a position to make that happen. He reasons with her that if she keeps quiet, even she will lose her life, but the Jews will be saved from some other place (we assume God); and he says, "Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for such a time as this?" Esther agrees to speak to the king, even though she can lose her life for going to him without being asked, and says, "If I die, I die."
Esther goes to the king and he agrees to see her. At a banquet, he promises to give her whatever she wishes, even up to half the kingdom. She tells the king and Haman to come to another banquet the next day, when she will tell him what she wants. That night, the king cannot sleep. He asks for the book telling the story of his reign to be read aloud. They read to him about the plot to take his life that was foiled by Mordecai. The king asks why Mordecai has not been honored. He assigns Haman to parade through the streets with Mordecai, honoring him and drawing attention to what he has done. Now Haman hates Mordecai more than ever.
At the banquet the next day, Esther asks that the king spare the life of her people (he does not know that she is Jewish). She says there is a plot to wipe out her and her people. The king asks who would devise such a terrible plot, and Esther says Haman is responsible. Haman is killed by the king for his evil plan. Then the king promotes Mordecai to Haman's high position and issues a new decree, that the Jews are to defend themselves against anyone who tries to kill them. When the day arrives, the Jews are victorious over those who want to take their lives.
The memory of this event is celebrated in the Jewish holiday called "Purim".
Esther is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the word "God". Yet, it is still a story about God because it is about God's people, the Jews, and how God acted through Mordecai and Esther to save his people. Both Mordecai and Esther took risks - Mordecai by reporting the plot and Esther by daring to go to the king without being summoned, but they had to courage to do it or else the Jews would face destruction.
Esther was put in a position where she could serve God and his people - what positions have you been placed in to serve others?
