DCLM Daily Manna 15 April 2026 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Success Tests Character

TOPIC: Success Tests Character (DCLM Daily Manna 15 April 2026)

KEY VERSE: Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him – Esther 2:20

TEXT: Esther 2:18-20 (KJV)

18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

DCLM Daily Manna For Today MESSAGE:

It is almost an uncharted norm in the corporate world to find once humble interns rising through the ranks and eventually disregarding the mentors who once guided them. A young Christian leader, initially eager to learn, may, after experiencing some manifestation of the power of God in his or her ministry, dismiss the very voices that shaped his or her growth. Success has a way of revealing real character.

Esther found herself in such a moment of testing. Once an orphan under Mordecai’s guardianship, she was now queen of the most powerful empire of her time. Divine favour had lifted her from obscurity, yet her response was remarkable. Instead of assuming that her new status exempted her from accountability, she followed Mordecai’s instructions just as she had in her childhood. Our key verse unveils a striking truth: “for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.” Despite her royal elevation, she remained teachable and obedient.

Many today would have reacted differently. A young woman who once lived in obscurity, now seated on a throne, might consider herself beyond the counsel of her elders. Power and influence often lead people to reject authority. Esther, however, saw things differently. She did not let her new status erase the discipline that had shaped her life. This is where many falter. When they sense an increase in social status, wealth, or influence, they detach from the voices that once guided them. Young Christians sometimes reject the counsel of older believers, assuming that modern success makes ancient wisdom irrelevant. Employees promoted to managerial positions dismiss the supervisors who once trained them. Upon gaining financial independence, children no longer see value in parental guidance.

In a world where people chase success at the cost of character, Esther stands out as a reminder that humility is not weakness but wisdom. Growth does not mean severing ties with godly counsel. Who are the Mordecais in your life? Have you forsaken their wisdom simply because you have risen in life? When you consider yourself too great to be guided, you are surely on the path to failure and destruction, like Rehoboam.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Elevation is best served by humility

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Psalms 85-88

Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2025 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.