“If I must die, I must die.”
Don’t let fear silence you.
Whether it’s the fear of losing a job or a relationship, or being rejected, judged, or criticized, even the strongest personalities can sometimes struggle with speaking up.
You might wonder: Will I hurt their feelings? Will they still like me? If I express my thoughts, what will it cost me?
Esther faced the risk of losing her life, but remaining silent would have led to the death of her people. The king of Persia had been persuaded that the extermination of the Jews was a justifiable request. Unbeknownst to him, his signed edict would also endanger his beloved queen.
What can we learn from Queen Esther about when and how to speak up?
What Esther Did
Approaching the king without being summoned was punishable by death, and Esther had not been summoned in thirty days. No longer willing to remain silent about her true identity, Esther accepted the risky challenge of speaking up to the king, advocating not only for herself but for her entire people.
Esther’s decision to speak up was not a hasty one.
“Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day My maids and I will do the same And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king If I must die, I must die.” So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. (Esther 4:16-17, NLT)
Esther took three courageous steps that inspired her to embrace the risk of speaking up, offering valuable lessons for us all.
STEP ONE
Esther sought wise counsel. She continued listening to the wisdom of others as she deliberated which action to take.
“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” (Proverbs 12:15, NLT)
STEP TWO
Esther fasted and prayed. She removed every distraction so she could clearly hear from God and ask Him to prepare the way for her to have success.
“I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest You have seen, O LORD; be not silent O Lord, be not far from me Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!” (Psalm 35:13, 22-23, ESV)
STEP THREE
Esther included others. She invited others to pray and fast with her as she prepared to approach the king with her request. We are not meant to carry our burdens alone.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2, NIV)
God is with us, equipping us to use our voices for His kingdom purposes, but we must first have the courage to speak up. Will you speak up despite the cost?
I pray that your trust in God to use your voice is greater than any fear that would hold you back May God surround you with a beautiful community, an army ready to stand behind you and beside you as you step into all that God is calling you to do So be it, in Jesus’ name.
Meditate: God be the guard over my mouth and the door to my lips.
Reflect: What are the situations where God could use your voice? What holds you back? How could you use one or all of the steps above to prepare yourself?
Deeper: (As you read through these additional verses, ask the Spirit to give you wisdom and teach you more about when to speak up and when to remain silent.) Esther 2:19-8; Psalm 141:1-3, Psalm 68:11 – NIV or ESV; James 3:3-18
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(Bible References: NLT – New Living Translation, ESV – English Standard Version, NIV – New International Version)
Standard Version, NIV – New International Version)
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