Who we are informs what we do

Suddenly, into the life of the king comes a Jew, Mordecai, who was a great-grandson of one of the captives taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar many years earlier. We are immediately told that Mordecai had taken responsibility for his beautiful cousin, Esther (Hadassah), after both her parents had died.

This shows true love and compassion: reaching out and caring for the abandoned in society is what God wants us to do, not just 'talking the talk'.  Mordecai sounds like a good guy.
(James 1:27)

Yet when I read the commentary: oh, I don't know. It sounds as if Mordecai was a Jew who could have returned to Jerusalem after the exile, but chose not to; perhaps he was an official at the king's palace, wielding some sort of power and prestige; perhaps he was worldly and ambitious, rather than religiously devoted to God.

I also wonder if he was OBLIGATED to take in his orphaned cousin, according to custom.

Yet even if he WAS all these things, his actions and a sequence of events eventually led to saving the lives of the entire Jewish community in Persia at the time.

God works all things together for good...


Esther 2:5 - 7