The Courage of Esther

Esther was a young queen when she came into office—quiet, submissive, and beautiful. Her God had put her in the perfect place at the right time to save a nation. Often, courage rises up from within when we face a conflict with conviction.

Esther gives us a wonderful account of how even in the face of adversaries, enemies, and conflict we can see God move mightily on our behalf. As you read this story, think about how it relates to your own.

After these things King Ahasuerus praised Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and promoted him, and set his seat above all the officials who were with him. All the king’s servants, when they were at the king’s gate, bowed or paid homage to Haman since the king had commanded it. Mordecai, however, never bowed or paid homage. So the king’s servants tending the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why are you transgressing the king’s commandment?” Though they spoke to him daily, he never listened to them, so they reported it to Haman to see if the words of Mordecai would stand, for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed nor paid him homage, he was filled with rage. But he disdained to lay hands on only Mordecai, since they had told him of the people of Mordecai. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. —Esther 3:1–6

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry.

So Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to attend her, and commanded him concerning Mordecai to learn what this was about and why.

Hathak returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again Esther spoke to Hathak and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, wishes to come to the king at the inner court but has not been summoned, there is one law—to put him to death—unless for some reason the king should hold out the golden scepter so that he might live. I, however, have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.”

So all the words of Esther were told to Mordecai. Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will be more likely to escape than all the other Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, protection and deliverance for the Jews will be ordained from some other place, but you and your father’s house shall be destroyed. And who knows if you may have attained royal position for such a time as this?”

The story of Esther is one of great courage and faith. It all starts with a king, a queen, and an evil villain named Haman.

It was God’s perfect plan to use Esther in the role of queen to save His people. She had the courage to call the nation to a corporate fast while at the same time creating a strategy to approach the king, which was unthinkable at that time. She believed that God knows the times and seasons, trusting that we are often put in a place of leadership or decision making for such a time as needed.

Passage Question: How would you have responded to this news? Would you have risen up in faith to do the right thing?