READ: Esther 3 & 4
THINK: We live in a culture that is both very good and very bad. It’s very good because, in many ways and in comparison to most of the world, we live in luxury. We have stores full of the finest foods, the best clothing, the newest technology. We own homes and cars and amazing amounts of stuff. But our culture is also very bad. We forget how to be compassionate to a hurting world. We are apathetic about movies and music and morals that openly reject the God we serve. We keep quiet about our faith to have acceptance by our peers.
And many centuries ago, for those living in Persia, some things were very good. Making a good living, enjoying the finer things of life – all this was possible in Persia. Persia was prosperous, powerful. But also pagan. And because of that, Persia was also very bad – deadly, in fact, for those who professed faith in the one true GOD.
Like Mordecai and Esther, we live in a prosperous culture that is often antagonistic toward God. If we choose not to stand up for Jesus, even in the face of ridicule or rejection, we will be just one of the crowd. If we don’t take risks, we can never expect to succeed in our faith walk. Mordecai reminded Esther that even though she was queen, she would fare no better than the rest of the Jews if she didn’t risk talking to the king. If we choose not to stand up for Jesus, God will choose someone who is willing. We will miss out on the blessing and the opportunity to make an eternal difference. Mordecai reminded Esther that God would accomplish his purpose, with her or without her. If we choose not to stand up for Jesus, we may miss out on the purpose God has for our life.
Standing up is scary. We can’t be sure of the outcome. We may face rejection and even humiliation. But if God if for us, who can be against us? Winston Churchill said it like this, “There comes a special moment for which that person was born. That special opportunity, when he seizes it, will fulfill his mission – a mission for which he is uniquely qualified. In that moment he find greatness. It is his finest hour.”
PRAY: Ask God to help you be strong, bold, and courageous today. Ask him to help you develop a willingness to stand up for him no matter what the cost as you speak his grace, love, and truth to the world around you.
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