Be Brave

In today's podcast, you will hear the story of Esther. How God used an ordinary girl to save an entire people.

Each story is a concise, creative tale that aims to be both biblically and historically accurate, although some characters and conversations may have been added for the sake of storytelling.

Transcript

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Have you ever experienced a time when you had to decide, do I stay quiet or do I speak up and say something, even though it's kind of scary to do that? Today's story is about a girl who faced that exact choice. Her name was Esther, and her courage didn't just save her life, it saved an entire people. So sit back, relax, kick off your shoes, and for the next few minutes, reimagine this. Esther didn't start her life as a queen. Not at all. She was a young Jewish girl living far from home. Her people had been taken from their land and were now living in Persia. Esther wasn't raised by her parents, but by her cousin Mordecai, who cared for her like a daughter. One day, the king of Persia, King Xerxes, decided he needed a new queen. So young women from all over the kingdom were brought to the palace, and one of them was Esther. But there was something important that she kept secret. She didn't tell anyone that she was Jewish. After a long process, the king chose his queen. Who do you imagine it was? Yep. Well, if you said Esther, you're right. Just like that, an ordinary girl became queen. Meanwhile, Esther's cousin Mordecai worked at the king's gate. One day, he overheard a plot to harm the king, and he reported it, saving the king's life. At the same time, a powerful official named Haman rose to power. Haman wanted everyone to bow to him, but Mordecai refused. He knew it wasn't right to bow to people. This made Haman furious. But instead of just punishing Mordecai, Haman came up with a terrible plan. He tricked the king into making a law that said on a certain day all the Jewish people would be destroyed. All of them wiped out. And remember, no one knew that Queen Esther was Jewish. Well, before long, Mordecai heard about this law and he was devastated. He sent a message to Esther. You have to go to the king and beg for mercy, he said. But this wasn't something easily done. You see, no one, not even the queen, could go to the king without being invited. If they did, they could be killed unless the king chose to spare them. Esther was afraid. This wasn't just uncomfortable, this was dangerous. Mordecai sent another message that changed everything. He said, Who knows if you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? In other words, what if this is the whole reason why you're queen to save our people? Esther had to make a choice stay safe or step forward and speak out. She chose to step forward and speak out. She wrote back, I will go to the king, even if it costs me my life. Now, Esther didn't just rush in without a plan. First, she asked her people to fast and pray for three days. That meant no food, just water and praying for three days. Then she went to the king. She walked into the throne room. I bet she was shaking in her queenly shoes. She looked at the king. If he raised his scepter toward her, that meant it was safe for her to come in. If not, well, let's just say that would not be good. Esther took a step. Then another. The king looked at her, and then he slowly raised his scepter. Whew The King welcomed her. Not only that, he said, What do you want, Queen Esther? Esther then invited the king and Haman to a special dinner. Then, at that dinner, the king said, Esther, what do you want? And she said, You know what? I would like you and Haman to come to another special dinner. Haman thought he was pretty important at this point. So the next time the king and Haman came to dinner, Esther revealed the truth. I am Jewish, she said, and my people are in danger. And she exposed Haman's plan. Well, the king was furious. Haman's plan was stopped, and instead of destruction, the Jewish people were saved. Haman not so much. Mordecai was honored. Esther's courage changed everything. A new celebration began, one that's still celebrated today. It's called Purim. It's a time to remember how the Jewish people were saved. Every year families gather together to hear Esther's story. And whenever the name Haman is read, people make noise. They say boo or sss because of his evil plan. And they all cheer when they learn that his evil plan failed. They give gifts of food, they share meals, and help those in need. It's a joyful celebration full of laughter, generosity, and remembering that even when things seem hopeless, God is still at work. What a great story! Want to hear something cool? God's name is never mentioned in the Book of Esther. No. And yet, he's there working behind the scenes the whole time, placing Esther in the palace, giving her courage, turning a terrible plan into something good. It's good to remember that sometimes God works quietly, in the right place at the right time, through ordinary people who are willing to be brave. Hmm, that's something to think about. Where might you be for such a time as this? Is there something you need to have courage about? A place where you need to speak up, stand up, and trust God. Because, like Esther, you might be right where you are for a reason. Thank you so much for listening today, and I hope you have a great week. I look forward to talking to you again soon. Bye.