Lessons from Esther Part II: Bring it all to your king

Dating might be difficult, but I sure am glad I got to date my husband first instead of being put into a situation like Esther was.  She had one night, one night to make a lasting impression on the king so that he would remember her name, one night to convince him that she could be the wife he was looking for.  Talk about pressure.

Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins.  So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ~ Es. 2:17 NIV

That's it. That's all the information we get about her singular night with the king.  Bummer!  Fortunately, it does tell us quite a bit though - God is awesome like that.  A great tip I learned in Bible Study Fellowship classes is to look up other bible translations of the verse in question, and then go to the dictionary to get more insight into particular words.  Here are some other translations:

The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him... NASB

The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight... ESV

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight...KJV

The king fell in love with Esther far more than with any of his other women or any of the other virgins - he was totally smitten with her. - The Message

There's only one word used that indicates that the king's infatuation with Esther rested solely upon her beauty: "attracted."  All the other words underlined indicate that the king's feelings for her went far deeper.  Let's see what the dictionary can tell us:

Love - profoundly tender, passionate affection for another, warm personal attachment or deep affection,  sexual desire or passion

Favor - friendly or well-disposed regard, goodwill, a gift bestowed as a token of goodwill, love

Grace - a manifestation of favor, pleasing or attractive quality or endowment, goodwill

Approve - to think or speak favorably of

It's safe to say that Esther brought much much more to the king than her body.  She brought along her mind and her personality as well.  They shared more than just physical intimacy, but emotional intimacy as well.  The king is just a man after all, in need of a woman by his side who he can confide in, just one person in the world with whom he can be himself and be vulnerable.  As king, he must have been constantly surrounded by fake people who either inflated themselves or foolishly kissed up to the king and his every move.  Famous people are just people after all.  Everyone longs to have someone by their side that they can just be real with.  I think Esther was that for the king.  Remember that for your king or queen!

Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. (Says the king!)  Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. ~ Proverbs 31:29-30