Skip to main content

For Such A Time As This?

 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

          As I think about today’s passage, the original Star Wars movie comes to mind; specifically, the scene in which Obi-Wan Kenobi gets R2D2 to play the message from Princess Leia, “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.”

The thing is, before Mordecai said the words in our passage today, and after Obi -Wan Kenobi invited Luke to go with him to deliver the data, Esther and Luke made excuses. Making excuses is a time-honored tradition. Moses did it. Aaron did it. Gideon did it. King Saul did it.

You were made for such a time as this – and so was I. I have to admit, I’m not necessarily excited about being made for such a time as this. I had some ideas about how I was going to respond to the pandemic, and quite often, feel useless because I’m not risking my life by caring for a COVID-19 patient. That’s not what’s needed where I am. What’s needed is someone to pull weeds. So here I am, with an MBA and technically five published books (two novels, a chapbook of poetry, and 2 family histories) and I’m pulling weeds… for free. I was made for this?

It reminds me of a story told of either Booker T. Washington or George Washington Carver – both of the Tuskegee Institute. He went to a wealthy home to seek a donation for the institute, and the woman who answered the door sent him to chop wood (as I recall.) He did so, and I think he received a small payment and left. Later, they met at a party of some sort, and she was aghast that she had sent such a noteworthy and important man to go chop wood. He dismissed the insult – and received a generous donation.

Moses was a prince, reduced to shepherding. Esther was a queen, reduced to begging. It’s no big deal if I was made for such a time as this when weeds need to be pulled. It’s no big deal…unless I make it so. We can either be what we were made to be for such a time as this, or we can make excuses, and probably still be what we were made to be for such a time as this.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more