Women who respect themselves while blessing others
Heavenly Father, I ask that you guide me to write the right words in helping someone who is reading this message. May You give them the strength to evolve into what You have written and ordained them to be. Amen.
You know most of us look at Queen Vashti as not an important woman in the Book of Esther. In fact, she is. She may have been disobedient in her husband King Ahasuerus' eyes however, without her respecting herself Esther's story would never exist (side note Vashti means beautiful woman). Normally I hear about Esther's story. Esther is of importance for two reasons:
1. She saved the Jews, her people, in the land of Persia and Media;
2. If it weren't for her speaking out, later on down the line Jesus' story may not have been told.
If you hadn't read the book of Esther, I suggest you do because it is full of some insightful information. There our so many useful stories from the entire book, but my story is about:
Woman who Respect Themselves While Blessing Others
Queen Vashti's dismissal begins in Chapter one verses one through twenty-two (Esther 1:1-22). You know that I am working on evolving and ordering my steps in the Lord. I wanted to know more about this woman and why she did not follow mans will. It doesn't say if she was or was not religious, nor does it say if she had children or not. Her character, her being, intrigued me.
Have you ever been in a compromising situation that you knew was not right regardless of your faith or beliefs? I have. If you answered no, honestly think about it and the additional questions that I am about to ask:
1. Did a man/boyfriend coerce, seduce, or even lie to you to have s*x with him? What did you do?
2. Did a man/boyfriend ask you to get high or drunk with him? What did you do?
3. Has a man/boyfriend asked you to take naked pictures and send them to him via cell phone/email/postal services? What did you do?
4. Have you ever stolen something from a store or from a person because your man/boyfriend asked you to? Again, what did you do?
There are maybe a few or all that you can say ‘yes, I have” without admitting why you did it. You can say, “I did those things because of the pleasure that I gained in return.” Be honest. You did it to please the man that you were with. Regardless of what story you make up about self gratification, it was to keep a man! I know because I have done it myself. The what’s, where’s, and when’s do not matter. I admit that during those times in my life I was wrong.
How was your life during those times you answered “yes” to the questions above? Were you at your highest point? Did you have a house or apartment to call your own? A good paying job? All your bills current? Did you have all the clothes and accessories you ever wanted? The high-end car? Did he make you feel like a queen before compromising yourself? What about after, did you still feel like that queen he called you? If you felt that your life was in order just honestly ask yourself, “girl, was I truly together?” If so, why did you disrespect yourself for the man that claimed he loved you, needed you, and made you think you were a queen?
Here’s where Miss Queen Vashti comes in. She had everything she ever wanted and more. She was beautiful and her named claimed that. She was a queen who dealt with dignitaries’ wives, princes and princesses of all walks of life. In her husband’s drunkenness, her notoriety and position did not matter. What mattered to him was her beauty; so much so that he wanted to show her off in front of all of his drunken friends. In his stupor her value was only her looks. A queen had to be knowledgeable and was important to political alliances, so you know she was together. Woman of those times only shared their looks with their husband. However, that didn't matter to her man. Of course she disagreed and from her disagreement she was removed as queen 1:16-20(the next chapter deals with Esther and her story).
She lost her status, recognition, notoriety, all because she honored her self-worth. This is not the point that I have for this week. My point is: when you honor what is right, respect who you are without giving in to man/boyfriend (you may even lose friends, car, job, title, etc.) that one sacrifice that you make, blesses many! If it had not been for her putting her foot down and saying no I will not degrade myself, just imagine what she would have truly lost, what we all would have truly lost: a connection to Christ. An entire nation would have been gone Esther's story would not have existed.
At times I find it hard to say no, I give in, disrespect myself and lose my self-worth. I have to start all over again after the man that I thought made me feel like a queen had up and gone. I ask myself during those times how many blessings for others have I just given away to please man/boyfriend. What did I gain from it? During my selfishness, I lost my dignity; I cared only to please him. If I were walking right and would have said no, even if I knew the consequences, how many other women would I have saved from making the wrong decision? How many young girls could I have mentored telling them that “just say no” literally meant that without feeling convicted for my faults? Who could I have listened to instead of turning a deaf ear on when they needed to be heard the most (especially while laid up with a man who did not care in his drunken and high stupor prancing me around in front of his friends)?
You know when we close the door on Christ and ourselves and give in to our desires, we lose our blessings. Vashti may have lost all things material but her one sacrifice saved millions and may have opened the door for the Only Begotten Son.
Ask yourself, am I willing to sacrifice or willing to give in? It's hard to say no, but it can be done. Queen Vashti did it! The ultimate reward is still to come. It may not be in your lifetime or your children's lifetime. Your one act of self-worth, selflessness, and honor (of many to come, Claim it!!!) by respecting you, has a blessing for someone else. God Bless you always.
Shani F.
You know most of us look at Queen Vashti as not an important woman in the Book of Esther. In fact, she is. She may have been disobedient in her husband King Ahasuerus' eyes however, without her respecting herself Esther's story would never exist (side note Vashti means beautiful woman). Normally I hear about Esther's story. Esther is of importance for two reasons:
1. She saved the Jews, her people, in the land of Persia and Media;
2. If it weren't for her speaking out, later on down the line Jesus' story may not have been told.
If you hadn't read the book of Esther, I suggest you do because it is full of some insightful information. There our so many useful stories from the entire book, but my story is about:
Woman who Respect Themselves While Blessing Others
Queen Vashti's dismissal begins in Chapter one verses one through twenty-two (Esther 1:1-22). You know that I am working on evolving and ordering my steps in the Lord. I wanted to know more about this woman and why she did not follow mans will. It doesn't say if she was or was not religious, nor does it say if she had children or not. Her character, her being, intrigued me.
Have you ever been in a compromising situation that you knew was not right regardless of your faith or beliefs? I have. If you answered no, honestly think about it and the additional questions that I am about to ask:
1. Did a man/boyfriend coerce, seduce, or even lie to you to have s*x with him? What did you do?
2. Did a man/boyfriend ask you to get high or drunk with him? What did you do?
3. Has a man/boyfriend asked you to take naked pictures and send them to him via cell phone/email/postal services? What did you do?
4. Have you ever stolen something from a store or from a person because your man/boyfriend asked you to? Again, what did you do?
There are maybe a few or all that you can say ‘yes, I have” without admitting why you did it. You can say, “I did those things because of the pleasure that I gained in return.” Be honest. You did it to please the man that you were with. Regardless of what story you make up about self gratification, it was to keep a man! I know because I have done it myself. The what’s, where’s, and when’s do not matter. I admit that during those times in my life I was wrong.
How was your life during those times you answered “yes” to the questions above? Were you at your highest point? Did you have a house or apartment to call your own? A good paying job? All your bills current? Did you have all the clothes and accessories you ever wanted? The high-end car? Did he make you feel like a queen before compromising yourself? What about after, did you still feel like that queen he called you? If you felt that your life was in order just honestly ask yourself, “girl, was I truly together?” If so, why did you disrespect yourself for the man that claimed he loved you, needed you, and made you think you were a queen?
Here’s where Miss Queen Vashti comes in. She had everything she ever wanted and more. She was beautiful and her named claimed that. She was a queen who dealt with dignitaries’ wives, princes and princesses of all walks of life. In her husband’s drunkenness, her notoriety and position did not matter. What mattered to him was her beauty; so much so that he wanted to show her off in front of all of his drunken friends. In his stupor her value was only her looks. A queen had to be knowledgeable and was important to political alliances, so you know she was together. Woman of those times only shared their looks with their husband. However, that didn't matter to her man. Of course she disagreed and from her disagreement she was removed as queen 1:16-20(the next chapter deals with Esther and her story).
She lost her status, recognition, notoriety, all because she honored her self-worth. This is not the point that I have for this week. My point is: when you honor what is right, respect who you are without giving in to man/boyfriend (you may even lose friends, car, job, title, etc.) that one sacrifice that you make, blesses many! If it had not been for her putting her foot down and saying no I will not degrade myself, just imagine what she would have truly lost, what we all would have truly lost: a connection to Christ. An entire nation would have been gone Esther's story would not have existed.
At times I find it hard to say no, I give in, disrespect myself and lose my self-worth. I have to start all over again after the man that I thought made me feel like a queen had up and gone. I ask myself during those times how many blessings for others have I just given away to please man/boyfriend. What did I gain from it? During my selfishness, I lost my dignity; I cared only to please him. If I were walking right and would have said no, even if I knew the consequences, how many other women would I have saved from making the wrong decision? How many young girls could I have mentored telling them that “just say no” literally meant that without feeling convicted for my faults? Who could I have listened to instead of turning a deaf ear on when they needed to be heard the most (especially while laid up with a man who did not care in his drunken and high stupor prancing me around in front of his friends)?
You know when we close the door on Christ and ourselves and give in to our desires, we lose our blessings. Vashti may have lost all things material but her one sacrifice saved millions and may have opened the door for the Only Begotten Son.
Ask yourself, am I willing to sacrifice or willing to give in? It's hard to say no, but it can be done. Queen Vashti did it! The ultimate reward is still to come. It may not be in your lifetime or your children's lifetime. Your one act of self-worth, selflessness, and honor (of many to come, Claim it!!!) by respecting you, has a blessing for someone else. God Bless you always.
Shani F.
