Esther is one of my favorite stories from Scripture. It makes poignant the ethical and political decisions before a vulnerable yet powerful minority, culminating in the courageous, dangerous acts of a strong woman to save her people when no one else could. In the background we have a wise, fatherly figure coaching Esther through her fear and calling her to greatness—a call she accepts despite the danger. It is truly a story of greatness.

What does this story have to say to us today, in our context? Let’s take a look.

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“Remember,” he said, “the days when you were an ordinary person, being brought up under my care, for Haman, who is second to the king, has spoken against us and demands our death. Call upon the Lord; then speak to the king in our behalf and save us from death.” (Esther 4v8)

Esther receives the message and replies, reminding Mordecai of the danger of approaching the king uninvited.

Then Mordecai said to Hachratheus, “Go and say to her: Esther, do not say to yourself that you alone among all the Jews in the realm will escape alive. For if you take no heed at such a time as this, help and protection will come to the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows whether it was not for such a time as this that you were made queen?” (Esther 4v13-14)

Esther responds: “I will go to the king, contrary to the law, even if I must die.” (Esther 4v16)

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Mordecai and Esther felt the weight and urgency of impending danger. The powerful, those holding the scepter, had begun making declarations and plans which endangered the Jewish people. Nothing was more important for Mordecai and Esther in those moments—they were even willing and prepared to risk their own lives in attempts to save their people.

Today we face a similar situation. While those of us who are white and documented can rest fairly easy (except maybe for those of us who speak up on behalf of the rights of others), our neighbors live next door under a level of concern which grows weekly. The population in the United States who fear some retaliation from the US government is expanding. At first, it was only the violent, undocumented immigrant who was in danger. Then all undocumented. Now, in the past few weeks, they’ve added a target on those considered “violent” by the government, who oppose the expanding reign of government (anarchists), those who support the rights of the non-binary and transgender, and those who the government qualifies as “Anti-American.” How long will it take for “violent” to drop from the list of qualifiers here too?

When the threat came to Mordecai and Esther’s door, they had a choice to make. Mordecai counseled Esther into realizing that her individual life was in just as much danger as the Jewish peasant on the street. He reminded her of the Providence of God and suggested that perhaps God had intentionally placed her in the kings quarters for this very moment. For her to attempt to save the lives of her people, she would have to risk her own—but without this risk they were sure to die. Now, with hindsight, we know that God was deeply involved. God rose up Esther, granted her power, and used her faithful boldness to save the Jewish people.

What power do you have? Could God intend for you to use your power like Esther, to save others from oppression, poverty, or destruction?

Perhaps God has made you an American citizen and placed you in your specific city for the explicit purpose of using your voice and presence to alter the course of history.

Maybe God desires you to petition your county council to proactively oppose the building of an immigration detention center in your back yard. Perhaps God desires you to risk your own safety in order to hold a sign on the side of the road to bring to attention the severity of this moment to drivers in your community. Esther went so far as to violate the law to stand up for the rights of her people.

Grace and peace.