Palace Intrigue from the Conclave to the Kremlin and Who Really Has the Power (And who has your ear, my friend?)

It’s easy for me to play along with the nation’s latest favorite parlor game of judging the actions of those who sit in seats of power.

They’re public figures, right? Fair game, after all.

Everyone has a favorite British prince and an opinion on their father, the king who loves his gardens.

We can all get behind David when Goliath invades even if David does refuse to wear a tie.

And there’s one leader whose name is certain to divide a room, a friendship, a congregation, a family. No one runs lukewarm on that one.

From the cheap seats, we can see how much it matters who has the ear of the one holding all the cards (or nukes, as it were).

Are they surrounded by yes-staffers?

Does their spouse run the show?

Do they poison or imprison public detractors?

Is that senior advisor exercising undue influence?

Does the media set the agenda or do they?

And it’s not that it doesn’t matter what happens from those thrones (of course, it does) but sometimes we focus on their kingdoms while ignoring the one we rule.

Palace intrigue isn’t reserved for the Kremlin or the Conclave, it crops up in congregations and clans as small as your cottage, too.

Who advises you? Who influences your focus? Have you run a scan, lately, on the sources of your information?

Beware of the Zeresh in your life. She’s worth identifying. She’s worth avoiding.

In the story of Esther, our focus is often on the two women central to the story—Queen Vashti and Hadassah (née Queen Esther). But Zeresh lurks in the wings which is where she tends to squat in every life.

Zeresh was Haman’s wife. And if you know the story of Esther (really, even if you don’t), Haman is the villain. He’s a self-centered, scheming, power-hungry ruler who sidled up to King Ahasuerus, rule of Persia, husband to Esther.

The king elevated Haman above all other leaders and they became banquet buddies, you know, the guy who sits beside the king sharing glasses of wine and enjoying how great they were together. It would have been an historic bromance except that Haman hated the Jews, in particular one Jew who refused to bow to him, Mordecai.

Mordecai was Esther’s guardian, the relative who raised her. The Queen, you see, was also a Jew.

Long story short, Haman convinced the king to enact an irrevocable edict that on a certain day, all the peoples would kill their Jewish neighbors, entire families, and plunder their homes and goods. You know, just a little bloodbath while Haman swapped stories and chuckles with the king over a hookah.

Mordecai prompted Esther to risk her life and appeal to her husband for the lives of her people so she invited the king and Haman to a banquet.

This made Haman crazy happy but on his way home, Mordecai’s refusal to bow down kills his buzz so Haman whined about it to Zeresh and his friends.

This stellar crop of cronies suggested Haman build a gallows and convince the king to hang Mordecai on it—then proceed to the banquet and enjoy himself. Haman LOVES this advice and that becomes his plan. He sleeps like a baby, unlike the king. You see, God kept the king up all night reading the kingdom records and especially pointing out Mordecai’s faithfulness. Next day, the king asked Haman to publicly, personally, honor Mordecai.

When it’s done, Haman runs home to Zeresh and the gang. When he explained what happened, they respond, “Yeah, Dude, if Mordecai is Jewish, you’re toast, man. It’s pretty over.” Then, they probably enjoyed Haman’s wine and food for the rest of the night.

Haman died on the gallows he erected (Zeresh’s idea) for Mordecai and Esther saved her people. Haman’s friends probably befriended another powerful Persian and ate his bread and wine.

Who has your ear?

It matters.

It always matters.

Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.”

Cultivate friends who will wound you, in love, rather than kill you with words you enjoy hearing.

Esther is a story about power. Kings who believe they have it and common men, like Mordecai, who know where it actually lies. Who use the power of their common lives wisely

No way Mordecai should have emerged from that story alive and yet . . . God.

While your eyes are on the ones who appear to have all power, are you ignoring the power of the one beautiful, surrendered life God gave you, my friend?

Are you scheming and dreaming or are you acting in faith? (If you’re not subscribed to my Disturber of Hobbits Substack and missed my post on scheming, CLICK HERE to read Stolen Hearts )

Are you dining with fools with little regard for life and eternal truths or are you sharing your table with men and women like Mordecai?

Find yourself a Mordecai because “who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 ESV)

Need more convincing that your small life surrendered to Jesus has inestimable power? You’ll want to pick up a copy of Graceful Influence. (AWSA’s Golden Scroll Christian Book of the Year 2024) You’ll come away appreciating the far-flung influence your life and choices have.

Palace intrigue and who really has power from the Conclave to the Kremlin https://t.co/C3puBpmHfY #Esther #Conclave2025

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) May 6, 2025