Survival

 Esther 7:1–6, 9–10, 9:20–22

I read a book called "Lakota Woman" by Mary Crow Dog probably about 20 years ago. She talked about growing up on the Rosebud Reservation in the 1960's and the AIM uprising. One things that truly dumbfounded me was her story about being pregnant and warmed about going to the clinic to have her child because the doctors often perform a hysterectomy so the mother couldn't have any more children. They were doing what? In modern America? If my mother was a Lakota woman, then after having my older sister, she might have been sterilized and I wouldn't have been born as we were born in the 1960's. 'But pastor, that was in the 1960's,' some will say. Did we not hear reports about the detention centers with the last couple years performing unnecessary and without consent sterilization on the women there? 

The protest down in South Dakota against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which our bulletin cover shows maybe wouldn't have happened except the line was first to go across the Missouri River just north of Bismarck and Mandan. The citizens of those communities didn't have to protest, they just had their cities pass a couple of resolutions and contact their connections up the food chain of the government because the population of those communities were afraid of leaks and oil spills. Even though it would cost them a lot of money to move the pipeline the corporation listened to their concerns and moved it to the reservation where they basically ignored any concern for the Native communities, the people and the land. And when they stood up for themselves, their children, and their land, they were accused of being political and abused before and after they were arrested.

Stacy Drouillard in "Walking the Old Road" writes about her family's land and house on the shore of Lake Superior which her father worked on and kept up wasn't able to be passed onto the next generation because of treaties in the 1800's, court cases, and bureaucracy said his children didn't have the right heritage or blood quota to own their families property.

Many people have a negative connection when hearing 'politics' and being 'political'. Especially when it is in connection with those who don't have power, those who aren't white, and those who struggle with the American Dream centered on wealth, patriotism, and being winners.

The first we should know about the story of Esther is that there is no miracle, no intervention by God, and God doesn't even speak or make an appearance. Yes, Mortdecai does invoke God's name and in deference to God, bows before no king or and government official because only to God will he bow. Yes, Esther does call for fasting and praying to help her discern her course of action and to give her courage to face possible death to save her people. But God is definitely in the background in this story.

The second thing we should know about this story of Esther, it isn't a love story about her and the King Ahasuerus. This is a story about survival for her and for the Hebrew people who face genocide. And it starts out with a drunk king calling for his queen to give a little dance so every party attender can revel in her body. She refuses and is banned because he and his 'officials' are worried this might give women the idea that they can refuse a king's order or any man's order. Just as Kings David and Solomon had many wives and many concubines, this seemed it was commonly practiced in that part of the world in that time. So King Ahasuerus needed a replacement and Esther was chosen and after a lengthy preparation period she finally got her night with the King to make sure he was pleased with her. She survived because she did what she had to, not because they were in love. 

So one of the King's advisors, Haman, didn't like Mortdecai because Mortdecai wouldn't bow to him or the king. So power-hungry, vain, and corrupt in his soul was Haman, he came up a scheme to kill them all and got the King to sign off on it, for a generous bribe. Mortdecai catches wind of this and begs his niece to intervene and utters those words, "Perhaps you came into your position for such a time as this?" Esther, at first, refuses because to appear before the King with a summons can mean immediate death. Mortdecai urges her asking if her being one of the king's concubines will save her, or any of her family. 

She then asks him to declare a fast and pray for 3 days with her, to give her discernment and courage. She then summons up her courage and goes into the King's court and he offers her the scepter, showing that her life is spared. She then plots to have the King and Haman to join her for supper so she can expose this plot and possibly save a people, her people, from being killed. On the second evening, it is exposed and Haman is seen for the weasel he is and the Hebrew people are spared and even given a chance for revenge. 

We, including myself, would like to focus on the scriptures of Jesus healing people and welcoming the children, the fruits of the Spirit, and Moses parting the Red Sea and leading the people from slavery. But there are stories throughout the Bible and Christianity where genocide and survival are real concerns. And as this story shows, people of faith are encouraged to stand up and confront the powerful people to save those who very survival is at stake.

From the 1850's to the 1920's, the position of the United States government policy about the "Indians" was genocide, they were to kill that "Indian" to save the soul. Since then, it has been one of assimilation, trying to get them to forget and walk away from their history, their language, their relationship to the earth and all living things, and the treaties that we have made with them to become like us. That is why this county was broken up into parcels for each Anishinaabe family, and when a family claimed it, they were encouraged to sell it, or if it wasn't taken care of properly it could be sold to white Americans, or if no one claimed it could be sold to white Americans, or if their descendant didn't have enough "Indian" blood in them, the property was taken from them. It wasn't until the 1970's that the Tribal Councils finally had the right to make decisions for themselves instead of having to get permission or approval from the Bureau for Indian Affairs. And after dealing over a century of corruption, assimilation, and attempted genocide, how could the leaders of reservations now lead with integrity when shown anything but?

While the Bible may show there has been greed, corruption, and not valuing human life throughout history; the Bible also shows that God has worked in spectacular ways and in small ways to stand up to these things. The Bible shows that yes, love is patient, kind, bearing all things, hoping all things, and enduring all things. The Bible shows that prophets have arisen to proclaim God to be a God of love and justice, righteousness, and humbleness. The Bible shows that even though it may cost us to stand up, speak up, and take risks to save those who may not survive, it is what God asks of us, of anyone who takes seriously to follow Christ, to do justice, to love kindness, and walk humbly. 

Peace