Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works
bring her praise at the city gate.
       Proverbs 31:30, 31

The account of Esther gives rare biblical insight into the development of a young girl into a charming and beautiful woman and then her continued development of character into a woman who feared God and risked her life to be obedient.  Even without a single mention of God in this book, it's clear, especially to Reformed believers, that God positioned Esther to be his instrument of rescue of his people at a time when no man, not even a Moses, would have been suitable.  And she was faithful to the task.

Esther overcame every barrier and obstacle that stood between her and her call.  She was a significant figure in Israel's history in overcoming evil and establishing righteousness, and a beautiful example of the strength of womanhood.

Proverbs describes the woman who is to be praised.  Anyone who reads the account of Esther will see her as such a woman.  We rejoice at the outcome of a story that shows how much courage and leadership was displayed by a young woman of such humble origins.

In this troubled and troubling period for the Church in our time, the examples of the true leadership of women who, like Queen Esther, are devoted followers of the Savior are in utter contrast to women who, like Queen Vasti, seek only their own vain and rebellious purposes.  We should find it instructive that Esther, who knew she took life-threatening risks, was in no real jeopardy, but rather was honored, while the woman who felt safe in her pride and defiance was deposed. 

Our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), honors and affirms the particular gifts and callings that God bestows on women.  Our denomination throws up no barriers to the exercise of those gifts and callings in the Church's ministry.  To the contrary, we in the PC(USA) give every encouragement to women's leadership, even by constitutional declaration.  Women are prominent in leadership from the prayer room, the nursery, the hospital room, and the kitchen to the role of pastor, of elder, of teacher, of Director of the General Assembly Council, and Moderator of the General Assembly.

But there is a contrast in the leadership of women today that is strikingly similar to that in the book of Esther. Women are not only welcome in the PC(USA); faithful women are a necessary part of bringing the reforms needed in the Church, of work that only faithful women can do.  To be a part of resisting evil and bringing righteousness means that we women, too, must take the risks that our calling demands of us in this church at this time.  The challenge of Mordecai to the Queen in the fourth chapter of Esther is now a challenge to us: Who knows but that we have come to leadership for such a time as this?