Esther 8:16:7-8. Again! I just had this exact same passage last week, on Thursday, January 13th to be exact. I was very deliberate this morning: opening the Bible with my eyes closed, I picturing in my head where my eye should fall on the page, and I was directed back to this exact same passage. So there is some reason that God is giving it to me again... Last time I blogged and journaled about how King Artaxerxes' (aka Ahasueres') words can be applied to what is going on today. Things have been "wickedly accomplished through the pestilent behavior of those who exercise authority unworthily." I said then that we must resolve to judge what comes before our eyes and look at every single person as a beloved child of God.

So is there something more I am supposed to be getting from this? There must be. Maybe I am still not doing this properly. Maybe I am still seeing some people as the "enemy" rather than as beloved brothers and sisters. After all, our battle is not with our fellow man, but with principalities and powers - with the forces of evil. So rather than cast aspersions on our leaders, maybe I have to start understanding that even they have been duped, fooled by the devil, and are being led astray. I want them to gain salvation as well, so I must not "other" them, but try to find ways to help them see the light!

Update: Oh my gosh, literally immediately after writing the above words, I read an article that a friend forwarded to me by Naomi Wolf, who uses these exact same words - she realizes that the battle on our hands has to be a spiritual battle because it is so complex, and she quotes Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12).

God makes things so obvious sometimes, it is absolutely amazing! So I resolve to try and not look on my fellow man as the enemy, and instead realize that this battle is with forces much greater than that. I know I already knew that, but the temptation to blame my fellow man is very great sometimes!