The Genuine Beauty of a Fruitful Life

On my first trip to New York City as a starry-eyed middle school student, I found myself in the back corner of a tiny shop, watching as a woman discretely handed fake designer bags to cash-paying customers. I walked out of the store with a knockoff purse so convincing that only someone familiar with the original could have spotted the difference.

Back in Texas, I don’t remember carrying that bag even once. The allure faded as soon as it was hanging in my closet, where it remained until, years later, I dropped it off at Goodwill. 

Today, it seems you can find a dupe for almost anything. When a new trend appears online, off-brand cosmetics, clothes, and shoes that look nearly identical to the original can arrive at your door the very same day. The line between imitation and authenticity feels blurrier than ever—not just in fashion but in so much of what we consume.

Even those who consider themselves immune to the cycles of celebrity culture can still be drawn in by a cleaning product praised as the cheaper version of a name brand or a grocery-store snack marketed as “basically the same thing” for half the price. Imitation is no longer hidden in the shadows; it has become a selling point inviting our participation. 

We’re constantly being told that if we buy the product, copy the routine, and mirror the aesthetic, then maybe we’ll possess the confidence, influence, or fulfillment we see reflected in someone else. We begin to believe that if we can just recreate the outward image, the outcomes we want will surely follow. 

Sometimes it works—at least for a little while. But eventually, the imitation reveals its limitations: it simply doesn’t have the substance to produce a meaningful life or an enduring legacy. Appearances can be copied, but true fruitfulness cannot be manufactured.

As Christian women, we can become so deeply dazzled by counterfeit fruit that we lose sight of what God’s kingdom actually values. The beauty of a truly fruitful life is found in faithfulness to the King, whose work in us produces a legacy that endures long after every imitation fades.

A Tale of Two Kingdoms 

The book of Esther tells the tale of two kingdoms. The story opens with a royal feast held by King Ahasuerus. The palace glittered, and the guests drank it all in: every detail overwhelming the senses, overflowing with excess, prestige, and control. The book of Esther exposes the counterfeit fruit hanging from Persia’s kingdom, but it also reveals the values of our own. 

• Fake Fruit: Power and Influence—Ahasuerus “displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness for a total of 180 days” (1:4). His kingdom was built on visibility and the kind of power meant to be admired and envied. Only he didn’t possess the influence he thought he did. What appeared rich and full and enduring was, underneath, empty. 

How often do you measure fruitfulness by visibility or recognition? Would you still believe your life was spiritually fruitful if no one else ever noticed its impact?

• Fake Fruit: Pleasure and Possessions—Persia overflowed with indulgence, promising satisfaction through constant consumption. “The drinking was according to royal decree: ‘There are no restrictions’” (1:8). Even the king’s wife was treated like a possession, a trophy to display (v. 11). 

Do you expect fruitfulness to feel indulgent? Have you mistaken an indulgent life for an abundant one? Would you still believe your life was spiritually fruitful if it required sacrifice, hunger, or dependence on God that cost you your comfort? 

• Fake Fruit: Youth and Beauty—The empire searched for a replacement for Vashti by evaluating women primarily according to physical beauty and age (2:3). We still absorb the message that youth and beauty are what make a life valuable or worthy of attention. 

How often do you measure fruitfulness by appearance, energy, or charisma? Do you believe the Spirit’s fruit can grow in bodies that age, tire, stretch, or weaken? 

• Fake Fruit: Control—Ahasuerus issued endless decrees to maintain the illusion that everything was under his authority, yet each one exposed how little control he had: over his wife, over his anger, and over the outcomes he tried to secure. We often pursue fruitfulness through management, assuming that if we curate the right habits, control outcomes, and avoid mistakes, then perhaps our lives will finally produce the results we want. 

Do you treat fruitfulness as something you can manufacture or control? What would it look like to surrender outcomes to God and depend on Him instead of your own ability to manage everything well? 

The Persian empire was obsessed with appearances of life and vitality, but what it ultimately produced was emptiness and decay. Today, counterfeit fruit still looks shiny and satisfying, but it misses the source of life itself. 

The Values of an Altogether Different Empire

The book of Esther calls us out. “If Ahasueras appears ridiculous,” pastor David Strain says, “how much more ridiculous are we?” All that we chase is empty. 

“The emperor’s costly clothes are transparent, and what may be seen through them by the discerning eye is ridiculous. True value lies in the values of an altogether different empire.” Esther wants us to view the world and its values from a new perspective.¹

In the New Testament, Jesus warned, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). The fruitfulness of Esther’s life shows us that true significance is not measured by wealth, comfort, or status but by faithful participation in the purposes of God.

Esther’s life was fruitful because of the faithfulness of God. From the first chapter of Esther, God was at work orchestrating events for the salvation of His people. It was God who arranged for this young woman to be taken to the king’s palace (2:8) and who gave her grace and favor in the eyes of the king (v. 17). It was God who positioned not only Esther in the palace in the exact place where she could be influential but also her cousin Mordecai in the exact place where he could uncover the plot against the king (vv. 21–23). Nothing was accidental. The fruit of Esther’s life bore witness to the sovereignty of God, who governs every detail for the good of His people and the glory of His name. 

He is still the God working in every detail of your story, using every circumstance for His purposes. The fruit of your life is meant to lead others to recognize His hand at work. 

Her life was fruitful because she chose her allegiance. Esther is the only character in the book who has two names. In Esther 2:7, the narrator shares that she was an orphan and gives both her Persian name, Esther, and her Hebrew name, Hadassah. When she entered the palace and later became queen, she intentionally concealed her heritage (v. 20). After Mordecai brought her news of Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews, she could have ignored him and remained silent, hoping she’d be spared. 

Her choice was not altogether different from the kind Jesus demands of His followers. In Matthew 6:24, He said, “No one can serve two masters,” and in Matthew 12:30 said, “Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather with me scatters.” Esther chose to identify herself with God’s people, and the fruit of her life bore witness to her wholehearted devotion. God is still calling His people to wholehearted allegiance, and the fruit of our lives reveals whether our hearts belong fully to Him or remain divided between His kingdom and the world’s. 

Her life was fruitful because she led with humility. Once Esther made her decision, she sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way” (Est. 4:16). She recognized her deep need for God’s intervention and humbled herself before Him. She not only believed God would hear the prayers of His people, she trusted He would answer—and she shared her faith with her maids. 

The same God still responds to the cries of His people, and the fruit of a faithful life is marked not by self-sufficiency but by humble dependence on Him. The woman who trusts God in times of need will also encourage others to seek Him alongside her.

Her life was fruitful because she was willing to obey at great personal cost. Esther knew the danger of her decision, and her fear for her own safety was understandable. Going before the king unsummoned could have cost her life. Yet she chose obedience to God over self-preservation, courageously declaring, “If I perish, I perish” (4:16). 

Courageous faith often comes at a cost. The fruit of a faithful life reveals a willingness to deny oneself out of obedience to God and love for others, valuing obedience above personal comfort and security. 

Her life was fruitful because God is in control. In chapter five, as Esther approaches the king, the tension in the narrative grows with every verse. The scene unfolds in slow-motion detail, as Esther dresses in royal clothing and makes her way to the king. As a reader, you can almost hear her heartbeat pounding with every step:

The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing its entrance. As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she gained favor with him. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter. (vv. 1–2)

The survival of her people rested on this moment, but their deliverance was never ultimately dependent on Esther. God had already gone before her, granting her favor and directing every detail. The fruit of Esther’s life bore witness to a faith that trusted God’s sovereign hand. The victory was His. 

The Fruit that Endures Forever 

The book of Esther begins and ends with a feast, but today nothing remains of King Ahasuerus’ kingdom. His name has faded from history and is remembered now primarily because of Esther’s story. The legacy of her life—the testimony of God’s deliverance—has not lost its significance in the centuries since: it continues to be “remembered and celebrated by every generation” (9:28). 

Her life and legacy point us to a greater and better Deliverer. Esther said, “If I perish, I perish.” Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” But unlike Esther, He did perish. He willingly laid down His life so His people could live. 

One day every counterfeit kingdom will crumble. The images we’ve worked to maintain will fade. All of our possessions and earthly achievements will pass away, and most likely. no one will remember our names. But what the Lord produces in our lives will endure into eternity.