Quality service to humanity can give you a title and position, but your title and position are not equal to quality service. This simple truth is misunderstood by thousands. There is a struggle today in our society for positions and titles, which have nothing to do with service. Positions and titles are a means to an end and not an end in themselves. If one has a title and occupies a position, without serving the expectation of his or her position or title, that individual is a great failure.
Positions and titles are not a privilege, but a responsibility. The responsibility of one's position and title is the people one is called to serve, which imply that, the focus is not you, but the people you are responsible for. Thus, your success is measured by the impact your service makes on people.
If this simply insight is understood, then many with different titles and positions are not qualified to be where they are. This was the situation Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived described as evil.
“There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeds from the ruler: Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.”
We have unqualified people occupying right places, while qualified people occupying places below their abilities. Friend, I see a devastation coming upon people who are hiding under the umbrella of titles and positions.
The story of Esther stands as a confirmation to the fact that service is what establishes one’s position and title. If one fails to use his or her position to serve, then the position would be taken from the individual and given to someone else who meets the required expectations.
Esther came to prominence because the person who was there failed. For Esther to be established, she had to pass the test of service to her people. If she didn't, she too would have lost her place.
“Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that you shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but you and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Then Esther told them to return Mordecai this answer, so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”
Beloved, to proceed further, we are going to look at the statement “For such a time like this” and “if I perish, I perish” as written in the above quote.
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!
There is no mistake in life. There is a time for everything and a time for every purpose under the sun.
Where you are today is not an accident, but a well-calculated incident. If you are lifted and placed in any position at this time, you must know that God placed you there for a purpose. Esther was a slave girl, lifted to the position of queen in a foreign nation. It would have been a great mistake if she thought it was just luck that placed her there. If one considers a position as luck, such would abuse it for self-interest.
God raised Esther to that position in order to save her people.
“Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request."
Thank God for Modecai's rebuke of Esther’s complacency and passivity, which stirred her to rise up to the challenge of saving her people.
Friend, moving in a Pajero or Prado car is not success, if after everything, the people God raised you for are still in bondage. Changing dresses and doing all kinds of gymnastics, as long as the people God sent you to help are suffering makes you a failure. God raised Moses to bring Israel out of bondage to freedom. God raised Joshua to bring Israel across Jordan into their promised land. God has equally raised you to bring people out of the pit into the palace.
Don’t close your ears to the cry of your people. Don’t close your eyes to the sufferings of your people. Don’t sit on the bench of complacency and passivity while your people perish.
May you not look at your position and title as success. Your success is measured by you affecting the people God raised you for. If this is not done, you risk losing your position.
IF I PERISH, I PERISH.
This is the statement Esther made when she discovered her God-destined mission for her people. One of the temptations of position is self-centeredness. It is easy for one to forget about others because one is in a place of comfort. Many with titles and positions are completely indifferent to the needs of others. Let us learn from Queen Esther. She forgot her position and decided to risk her life in order to save her people. This is what is called sacrifice.
Sacrifice is not giving what costs you nothing. Sacrifice is giving up of yourself in order to save others. As men and women of position and power, we are called to lay down our lives to save our generation. This has been the spirit that brought salvation to people in every generation.
What the world needs today are people who lay down their lives for others.
The world has suffered for so long in the hands of individuals who are indifferent to the sufferings of humanity. We must pray and ask God to give us the heart for others. In conclusion, titles and positions are just pretense if they do not bring people into their expectations. Dr.Benard Etta
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