Plan Your Moves

If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king. Esther 5:4

Esther’s story is one of my favorites, especially the chess game that unfolds as Esther sets Haman up for a stunning reversal of fortune at King Xerxes’ hands.

As queen, Esther could have spoken directly to Xerxes about the lies Haman was telling, but she chose to host a series of banquets and seated Haman in the place of honor beside the king.

Instead of jumping to her desired conclusion, as in a game of checkers, Esther orchestrated the conversation so that Xerxes would reach a “checkmate” conclusion and seal the verdict against Haman.

As a leader, you will sometimes have the opportunity to push through an agenda and “run the checkerboard,” but that’s not always the best long-term strategy.

Consider the countermoves you might face, and plan your game with the skill of a chess master, like Queen Esther.