Esther 10:3 (ESV)

[3] For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.

What makes a great leader? The truth is, we are all leaders in some sense. There is someone that we lead, teach, mentor, direct, or influence in some way. You may lead a great country, a large corporation, or a mega-church; you may lead a small congregation, serve as an elder, or Sunday School teacher; you may be a Mom, Dad, grand-parent, aunt or uncle, of just a friend, but almost everyone has someone on their life that they influence in some way. The question is: How do you lead?

Mordecai was made second in rank to the king. Haman, when he was in that position, sought his own welfare and his own peace. Mordecai “sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.” I just sat through a two-day conference on leadership. The challenge toward the end of the conference was convicting. Leaders invest in others. We were challenged to think, plan, and watch for opportunities to add value to the lives of others.

Isn’t that what Jesus taught and practiced? He said, “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43b-45 ESV). The King of Kings came to earth as a man in order to serve. He gave his life so that we might have life. He allowed himself to experience our death so that we might experience his life if we will trust him. That is incredible leadership.

What if more believers led for what they could give others rather than for what they could get from others? What if more people sought to serve instead of seeking to be served? What if disciples of Jesus Christ actually modeled the life and attitude of Jesus Christ? How might that change the perception of the world toward the church? How might that change the perception of church attenders toward church leadership? How might that change the perception of children toward parents and teachers, laborers toward bosses, and followers toward leaders?

A theme that we haven’t explored in thinking through Esther over the past few weeks is the theme of Mordecai as a picture of Christ. It might be worth thinking about. Clearly we see it here in Mordecai’s leadership. He thought of others first. He sought their welfare and spoke peace to them. Mordecai sought for their welfare. It means that he sought or worked for their comfort and pleasure, working to provide a good life for them. Additionally, he spoke peace to them. The word translated peace is shalom. Shalom means wholeness of life. It means everything that is wrong is made right. It includes justice, provision, wholeness… True shalom is life before the Fall of Mankind. Mordecai worked to provide a life for his people that reflected how we were designed to live, with wholeness, joy, and full provision. Isn’t that what leader’s do?

We’re not talking here about welfare. We’re not talking about just giving someone anything they want or desire at no cost. Even before the Fall work was a part of life. If people wanted to eat they had to harvest the food God provided. He didn’t serve it up for them. It is just that work was easier and more enjoyable before the Fall. Paul warned, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” Idleness was never a virtue. We’re not talking about welfare.

But this distracts us from the point. Leaders work for the good of those they lead. Who are you influencing today? How can you work and speak to their benefit? How can you add value to the life of someone today? I love the story of the Grandpa who challenged his grandchildren to add value to the lives of others. The next evening the child excitedly told his Grandpa, “Grandpa, I opened the door for forty people today!” I don’t know if I have ever had the opportunity to open the door for that many people in one day, but that little boy had learned the principle of adding value to the lives of others. Have we learned that yet? It is how Jesus lived.