With this third installment in the Amelia series, “Liken the Scriptures” tells us the story of Esther, one of my all-time favorite stories from the Bible. Amelia wants to invite her butler to church, but can’t work up the courage to do it. Every time she walks up to talk to him, she chickens out.
She turns to her mother, wondering what she can do to feel stronger. Her mother tells her the story of Esther, to show Amelia what the power of fasting can do.
Esther, as told to us in the book by the same name, was a beautiful young woman, a Jew, living in Babylon. The king needed to find a new queen, and a contest was held to find the fairest in the land. Esther wasn’t interested in participating, but her cousin, a spiritual man named Mordecai, encouraged her to take part, feeling that perhaps there might be a reason for her to do it. She reluctantly joins the other girls, to find them in a flurry of preparation.
Each of them is sure that she can win the heart of the king. One puts on loads of jewelry, another squirts herself liberally with perfume, and another wears an elaborate gown, sewn on a machine powered by a mouse running in a wheel. Each girl leaves the throne room in tears, making Esther wonder just what the king is looking for. When it’s her turn to go in, she is asked what she would like to do to prepare, and she simply states that she wants to be herself.
As she enters the throne room, she finds the king slumped on his throne, exhausted from interviewing all the girls who have come before. Esther sings a song, asking the king if he could love her just the way she is. He is touched by her beauty and sincerity, and chooses her to be the queen.
Haman, in the meantime, is quite possibly the star of the show. Keep your eyes on him for great musical numbers and shenanigans.
As he plots against the Jews and later is revealed, the King realizes what a mistake he made by trusting him, and then the most tender moment of the show takes place when he goes to Esther and asks her the same question she asked him: can she love him? He asks for her forgiveness and they face the future together, the seeds of love beginning to grow.
Historically, the king wasn’t as nice as he’s portrayed in the movie; but I’m okay with that. Dallin Vail Bayles, the actor who plays him, does a fabulous job of showing strength and humility at the same time, and it doesn’t hurt my feelings at all that they took the self-centered real-life king and turned him into a tender, loving man. This movie ranks right up there with my favorites in this series.
At the end, the butler’s heart is softened when he sees that Amelia is fasting to work up the courage to invite him to church, and he goes along with the family. It’s a beautifully taught lesson that I have enjoyed sharing with my family repeatedly.
Related Blogs:
Liken the Scriptures: Nephi and Laban
Liken the Scriptures: Ammon and Lamoni
Liken the Scriptures: David and Goliath
Liken the Scriptures: Alma and King Noah’s Court
Liken the Scriptures: The First Christmas