What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you.
Esther 7:2
Queen Esther learned that Haman received permission ‘to annihilate all the Jews’ (Esther 3:13). How could she persuade the king to protect the Jews? In a beautiful picture of grace, wisdom, and patience, Esther reveals how to effectively approach and persuade other people.
Step 1: Stop. Before trying to rightly handle a wrong situation, Esther paused.
Step 2: Wait. Time is a precious asset. Waiting gave Esther time to gather the facts.
Step 3: Consult. Waiting allowed time for seeking further counsel.
Step 4: Pray. Waiting also gave Esther time to fast and pray for wisdom about how to approach the king.
Step 5: Decide. Time, counsel, and prayer moved Esther to make a plan and move forward with the triumphant attitude “If I perish, I perish!”
Step 6: Act. Before she asked for what she wanted, Esther prepared a special dinner for King Ahasuerus and Haman to assess the king’s frame of mind.
Step 7: Adjust. Discerning and sensitive to the situation, Esther wisely waited and prepared a second dinner before asking her husband to save her people.
What is your next challenge? Follow Esther’s seven steps to wisdom.
Read 7 Steps to Wisdom on Elizabeth & Jim George.