Monday Memo 1144: The Best You Can Be

Last week we began to look at the story of Esther in our 'Never Too Young for Purpose' series. Esther was a teenage orphan who was quite beautiful, so much so that she was chosen as a candidate to be the next queen. After she and others were selected for consideration, this is what happened:

Hegai liked Esther, and she won his favor. He lost no time in beginning her beauty treatment of massage and special diet. He gave her the best place in the harem and assigned seven young women specially chosen from the royal palace to serve her. ... The regular beauty treatment for the women lasted a year—massages with oil of myrrh for six months and with oil of balsam for six more (Esther 2:9, 12).

Esther was beautiful so what did they do for her once she was chosen? They gave her beauty treatments to make her even more beautiful—more of who she already was. And that has an important lesson for you as you seek to be a young person of purpose.

The lesson is not that you are to pay more attention to your looks, your makeup, or your appearance. There is nothing wrong with any of that, but it's not the lesson of this story. The lesson is that God took who Esther was and took it to next level. Her natural beauty was enhanced by the treatments she received and God wants to do the same thing for you. Let me give you some examples of what I mean.

If you are a good musician or athlete, God gave you that gift or talent. You had nothing to do with receiving it but now you have a lot to do with developing it. You must practice, find good teachers, identify models to imitate, and practice some more. You should gain experience by being part of a group or performing and playing as often as possible. The same would be true if you are a good student in school. You must work to increase your knowledge by reading and taking classes that challenge you to grow your mind.

I hope you get the point. Whoever God made you is who He wants you to be to the fullest. God made Esther to be who she was and He was not offended when she and others focused on improving who she was. God made you who you are, so it's His will for you to be the best business person, teacher, assistant, scientist, doctor, or counselor you can be. As you do that, remember what Paul wrote to us,

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. Remember that the Lord will give you as a reward what he has kept for his people. For Christ is the real Master you serve (Colossians 3:23-24).

Work hard to be all that you can be and remember that God is one who enabled you to be who you are in the first place. Do what you do for Him and be the best that you can be and I promise you that God will be pleased. Have a blessed week!