Esther’s parents were both dead, and she had been adopted by her cousin Mordecai.
When King Xerxes wanted to pick a new queen, he ordered that young women from all over the kingdom be brought to him. Esther was young and beautiful and didn’t have a choice; she had to go.
The King loved Esther and made her queen, but he didn’t know she was a Jew. Not too much later, one of Xerxes’ servants, Haman, tricked him into declaring that all Jews should be killed.
“Mordecai sent this answer back to Esther, ‘Do not imagine that just because you are in the king’s palace you will be any safer than all the rest of the Jews. The fact is, even if you remain silent now, someone else will help and rescue the Jews, but you and your relatives will die. And who knows, you may have gained your royal position for a time like this’” (Esther 4:13,14).
Mordecai was right. Esther used her position as queen to plead for her people—and they lived. No one could have seen that coming. First an orphan, then a captive—and yet God made her royalty.
If you’ve had a rough beginning in life, God has plans for you. He’ll use you to accomplish great things for him.
Esther—an orphan who was used by God to save his people—was God’s child, just like you are.
