Queen Esther's guide to business

Esther's story is "not about ancient Persia," says Bible scholar Charles Swindoll, "it's about us."

And how right he is—though I didn't think it would take a new book on business strategies (in which Swindoll is quoted) to reveal it to me.

The Old Testament book of Esther is just ten chapters in length—less than 12 pages in my King James Version. Somehow it had slipped through the cracks in my study of the Bible until I read What Queen Esther Knew by Connie Glaser and Barbara Smalley (Rodale Books, 2003).

In their introduction, Glaser and Smalley point out that the story of Queen Esther is not fiction. It is a slice of history. For them, the Bible is brimming with courageous and visionary women who are worthy role models in an age of political cynicism and dubious ethics.

Esther, they emphasize, was a beautiful, powerful queen—smart, savvy, compassionate—who used her position of influence to save her people and change the course of history. They believe there are many lessons and principles in her story that can enrich lives, especially those of women, in today's changing world. Hence the authors' subtitle: Business Strategies from a Biblical Sage.

The format is simple: 228 pages in a pocketsize publication divided, like the Bible book of Esther, into ten chapters. Excerpts from the Bible text, in chronological order, head each chapter. Commentary is followed by practical applications to business life today.

For example, when Esther faced obstacles, she could easily have become angry and bitter. Instead, she chose to follow her conscience and do the "right thing," say the authors. "She took a huge leap of faith, and by doing so, revealed her strength of character."

The book features some brave, modern-day Queen Esthers who faced formidable obstacles or crises in their personal or business lives and yet maintained their faith. They stuck to what they knew in their "heart, and soul, and gut" was the right thing to do, and ultimately triumphed.

People of this caliber know what Esther knew, suggest the authors. "They have faith in some meaning, purpose, or power larger than themselves. And just like Esther, they survive—and often manage to thrive—by tapping into this inner strength."

Some readers will note that the source of this "inner strength" is not explored in the way that it is in some other books which are underpinned by Bible stories. And those looking for more direct evidence of spirituality in the workplace may be disappointed. God's influence on the lives of business people of faith is given little prominence. However, there is rich compensation in the analogies drawn from the book of Esther, and plenty of practical advice for women (and men) who would like to run their businesses more efficiently—and honestly.

For example, Glaser and Smalley provide strong segments on mentoring, fighting for what you believe in, and overcoming failure. Learn to "fail forward," they urge, quoting another author, John C. Maxwell. Gain something from every setback. They conclude that the story of Esther is not about miracles, but about "a courageous woman who used her intellectual and spiritual resources to overcome adversity and ultimately to triumph."

Many Sentinel readers will make their own connection with Mary Baker Eddy, who more than a hundred years ago, wrote, "In natural law and in religion the right of woman to fill the highest measure of enlightened understanding and the highest places in government, is inalienable, and these rights are ably vindicated by the noblest of both sexes" (No and Yes, p. 45 ).

"So, grab the tiara ... sound the trumpets," cry Glaser and Smalley. "It's time to proclaim yourself Queen [or King?] for a Day!"