The People Who Call Out Courage

Not long ago, I was reading the book of Esther for my morning devotions. What an incredible story! Esther is one of the unlikeliest heroes in Scripture—a young woman who becomes a person of courageous, tenacious, enduring faith.

It made me wonder: How does God do this? How does He form people like that? How does He grow enduring faith in our lives—yours and mine?

The story of Esther unfolded while Israel was in exile. The people were far from home with no clear path to return. The book of Esther has no mention of Jerusalem, the temple, worship, priests or sacrifices. In fact, God’s name is not mentioned at all. Yet He was present—at work behind the scenes in hidden, powerful ways.

After Esther became queen, her guardian, Mordecai, who sat at the king’s gate, uncovered a plot to assassinate King Ahasuerus and saved the king’s life. Then, in chapter 3, another major character is introduced: “After these events, King Ahasuerus honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.”

Haman would soon plot to destroy all the Jews (Mordecai’s people)throughout the entire Persian Empire. In short, he intended genocide.

Mordecai urged Esther to approach the king and plead for her people. Understandably, she hesitated. But then came Mordecai’s words, found in Esther 4:14: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

In other words, he told her that this was her moment. The fate of her people rested in her hands. Friends do that. They remind us of our calling. They help us remember who we are.

So, let me ask: Who plays the role of Mordecai in your life? Who speaks truth into your decisions? Who challenges you to rise into the calling God has placed on your life? Who loves you enough to say, “I don’t want you to stop short. I love you too much to let sin go unchecked, to watch your God-given gifts go unused, or to let love remain uncultivated in your heart. Keep going. Maybe you’ve come to this very position for such a time as this.”

If you have someone like that in your life, treasure them. Pray for them. Give them permission to sharpen you.

We need people like that—those who, like Mordecai, call out courage in us. We need people who help us stand and say, with the great heroes of the faith—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel and Esther: “I will follow God. I will obey His will. I will rise up for such a time as this. And if I perish, I perish,” because, as Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21, “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” 

By Elton DeMoraes, D.Min.President