“The king and Haman came to feast with Esther the queen. Once again, on the second day while drinking wine, the king asked Esther, “Queen Esther, whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek, even to half the kingdom, will be done.”
Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in your eyes, Your Majesty, and if the king is pleased, spare my life; this is my request. And spare my people; this is my desire. For my people and I have been sold to destruction, death, and extermination. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.”
King Ahasuerus spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?” Esther answered, “The adversary and enemy is this evil Haman.”
Haman stood terrified before the king and queen.”
If you’ve ever been in a situation where your testimony, your word, your account of how things went would determine the course of action in the life of someone else, you know the seriousness of this scene. Esther knew her life and the lives of her fellow Jews were on the line because of Haman’s hard-heart toward Mordecai. She also knew that to tell the king would garner serious consequences in her life or that of Haman. She chose to take the chance.
Over the last three days we have journeyed with Esther from adopted daughter of Mordecai to Queen of Persia. But we know that life happens over days, weeks, months, and years. And these events didn’t just happen 1-2-3. When we are faithful in the small things, we can be trusted to be faithful in the larger things. You see, there are no small matters to God. He entrusts us with situations, with faith and with abilities to handle – with care – these matters that will draw us closer to Him. These are not easy tasks. Esther faced a life or death situation – both in Haman’s scheme and in coming before the king without being summoned.
In the days and weeks that are coming, you can be assured not everything will be easy. You may have opportunities to speak up and speak out about your faith. About how God is moving and working in your life. It may be speaking up or speaking out about a dangerous situation you’ve found yourself in. Be encouraged, there are people out there, and right here, praying for you. Know that your voice matters! Someone needs to hear your story. Someone needs to hear your cry for help. Someone needs to know what you’ve been through. Someone needs to know God loves them. And they need to hear it from you!
Esther wasn’t unafraid. She was brave because of her faith in Almighty God. And you can be too. Paul encouraged young Timothy to “set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). He commanded the believers in Ephesus that, “No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:12)
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