One Big Moment of Bravery: Esther
Read: Esther 4:12-17; Hebrews 4:15-16
What’s the most nervous you’ve ever been? The night of your big trumpet solo? The morning of the regional track meet? It takes guts to face those big moments.
Joseph and Mary were probably nervous, too. They had to travel far from their home, with Mary ready to deliver her child. Then when they arrived in Bethlehem, they were unable to find a decent place to stay. They must have been nervous when Mary went into labor—giving birth to a child, their first, who was the Savior of the world.
Another woman, many centuries before, also faced a big moment. The young queen Esther had a much bigger moment than what most of us will ever face. Visiting the king without being summoned was an offense punishable by death in the days of King Ahasuerus—even for the queen. But the lives of many were at stake. So she put on her royal robes and walked bravely into the king’s court to begin a desperate plan to save her people. It began with her asking the king to attend a special banquet (Esther 5:4).
This was not a social dinner. She wanted to have the king’s ear, to inform him of an evil plot that threatened the existence of her family and her people. Her plan succeeded. Esther helped the king recognize that his right-hand man was working in secret to exterminate the Jews.
Esther risked her life to save the people of Israel from physical death, showing us, long before the time of Jesus, that one person’s courage and sacrifice can save millions..
Reflect
Doing the right thing can take a bold moment of bravery. How can you gain the confidence to make these big choices?
Pray about It
Thank God for the self-confidence He gives you when you become part of His family.