The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.
- Esther 8:2

Why did Mordecai rise to power? He’s an exile, part of a people who were dragged away from their homeland against their will and destined to never fit in. He has a small to middling job. And then he and his entire family are put on a list to be killed, destroyed and annihilated.

In today’s passage, we read about Mordecai’s sudden ascension to power. The king makes Mordecai his second-in-command. By giving Mordecai the royal signet ring, Mordecai receives the power to write irrevocable laws that will shape the destiny of the Persian Empire and the Jewish people. With the ring comes both wealth and prestige.

The Bible is full of stories of God’s people in exile rapidly rising to power. Joseph goes from being a slave in prison to being the prime minister of Egypt. Daniel goes from being a forgotten and unconsulted advisor to holding real sway with the rulers of Babylon. And, shortly after Mordecai’s story, Nehemiah rises to the most trusted position on the Persian king’s staff.

God’s people in exile rise to power when they demonstrate faithfulness and character. But things rarely run in a straight line. All of these stories have hard spots: prison, legal challenges, arrests, persecution. But in the end, we see over and over again God’s good desire to vindicate the righteous.

Is there a place where God is calling you to show character, even there there’s not a straight line to a sure reward?