Boldness

It is a dramatic story. Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia and Media and wife of King Ahasuerus, chose to be an advocate for her people.

A malicious counselor to the king was determined to destroy the Jewish people. Only Esther, the wife of the king, could help them.

The culture demanded nobody enter the presence of the king uninvited, but Esther risked her life to save her people.

There are times when doing the right thing demands that you don’t stop to consider the consequences to yourself. “We should choose the right because it is right, and leave consequences with God.”* History is replete with examples of those who stood boldly for the Word of God. Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer were burned at the stake in Oxford, England, because they refused to renounce their faith in God’s Word. Martin Luther and many others jeopardized their existence for daring to stand with the Bible against the teachings of the established church.

And in being so bold as to risk all for the sake of the Cross, they gave power and impetus to Christianity and inspired countless others to live lives of faith and obedience. If heroes of faith had not been bold enough to follow the call of God on their lives, history might have followed a very different course.

It is doubtful any one of them was fully aware of the power of their example, but we who look back on their bravery and fidelity can see how one person’s life can encourage multitudes to be true to Christ. While God might not be calling you to die for Him, He is certainly calling you to live for Him.

A life lived as a witness for Jesus has the potential to make the type of difference that Esther’s boldness made thousands of years ago.

In eternity, not one of the redeemed will regret a word spoken, a stand made, or an example given for the sake of Christ.