Roles and Rules.

“All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court – that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days!” (Esther 4:11)

Esther had good reason to be concerned about breaking the rules. Her predecessor, Queen Vashti, had been removed from her post because she disobeyed the order of the king (see Esther 1:10-19). Mordecai’s word to Esther was that she must petition the king for the life of the Jewish people. Esther’s word to Mordecai was that she had no legal right to do so.

Are we in the same predicament?

There are good reasons, legally sound reasons, for not “speaking up”. We share Esther’s concern. Life may have blessed us with a title and a position of authority, yet we do not feel empowered to do much more than stand and look beautiful in our post. If we speak up on behalf of the disenfranchised, it may cost us our position, our title, our career. So we keep the title, keep the paycheck, and dutifully send money to “the cause”, whatever it may be. And we justify ourselves: after all, the position empowers us to give every once in a while, so it’s not like we’re totally ignoring the cause.

What’s the problem? The cause isn’t ameliorated by a donation. The cause cries out for attention, for a place at the table, for relevant dialogue that leads to relevant change. In Esther’s case, it meant breaking the rule and stepping into the inner court to appeal to the king .

We tread carefully on this path, because we don’t like the idea of breaking rules. Yet we see, even in the life of Jesus, that there are instances where the law became a hindrance to the grace and power of God. Jesus was criticized for healing people on the Sabbath day, yet His acts of mercy and grace were the means of salvation and deliverance for many.

Mordecai, in Esther 4:14, adds another dimension to the dialogue. There are times when our position of leadership gives us a platform from which we can challenge the law. We are in a position to stand in the gap for the disenfranchised: not as a rule-breaker, but as a respected leader seeking relevant change. Our minds recall the life-changing movements made alive by Ghandi, King, and others who peacefully sought to transform nations for the sake of the people.

The temptation is to downplay our own ability to effect change. Resist the temptation.

“Don’t imagine that because you are part of the king’s household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father’s household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!” (Esther 4:14)

Lord, help us to transform nations through the positions and abilities You’ve given us.