Key scripture – “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Have you ever wondered how many times people have looked at your life and thought about whether they are able to see how important Jesus is to you? So often as Christians we choose to blend quietly into the background instead of showing our true colors and identity as a follower of Jesus Christ.

In the book of Esther, the Jewish people were exiles who had been brought to live in their captors’ pagan culture. Queen Esther herself, who had been chosen to be one of the King’s wives, had kept her Jewish identity a secret, just as her uncle Mordecia had told her to do, and even the King did not know.

“Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality. When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.”
(Esther 2:17-20).

And yet, the pivotal point of the story is when Esther identifies with her people, the remnant of the people of God, after Haman’s genocidal plans against the Jews had just been decreed.
“Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.” (Esther 3:13-14).

As Queen, Esther was uniquely situated to intervene, but not without great personal risk.
“Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” (Esther 4:9-11).

Her uncle Mordecai told her, “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Esther took the bold step to approach the king and it saved the Jewish people. “Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” (Esther 7:3-4).

As a Christian, you can try to blend into the scenery or you can show your colors and identify with the One who calls you to acknowledge Him “here on earth”. One choice watches history happen. The other choice makes it happen.

In what creative ways can you show your colors as a follower of Jesus? Ask Him today to show you how you can do that. And whatever you do remember what Jesus said, “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33).

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I want to show my allegiance to the one and only King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. Show me how to do that today and every day of my life. Forgive me for the times that I have not stood up for Jesus and instead I just blended in. I want to be the light on the hill and salt to the world. Show me what that looks like in my life so that my Father in Heaven is glorified. I bow before You and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord over all. I know that I was made for such a time as this. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.