Step Into Esther's Shoes

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 2:20

Step into Esther’s shoes for just a moment. Imagine what it would be like to be an orphan after both your parents die. Not long after that, you’re adopted by your uncle Mordecai who raises you in the Jewish faith. Later as a young woman, you’re taken to the King’s palace because your beauty and virginity are noticed by the King’s officials. You find yourself undergoing an entire year of “beauty treatments” before being called to spend one night with the king. That night changes your life forever when the King places the queen’s crown upon your head. As the new Queen of Persia, a banquet is thrown in your honor but your faith and true identity still remain a secret. 

When should we keep a secret? When should we tell our secrets to others? Are some secrets “good,” and others “bad”? Could secrets really be lies in disguise?

Years ago, a close friend shared a painful family secret with me. This secret had left several generations of women scarred and broken. It’s a secret unfortunately far too familiar to many girls growing up in America. One man; a grandfather, father, uncle or brother, inappropriately touches the girls in his family. But for some reason none of them talk about it with each other, so the secrecy lives on and more girls are abused. 

Why is that? Could it be that the enemy works hard to convince us that shameful secrets are better kept hidden than shared? 

In the Bible, Esther knew what it was like to keep secrets. Mordecai raised Esther to be proud of her Jewish heritage, but asked that she keep it a secret from the her husband, King Xerxes. It was not until Esther learned of a plot to kill all the Jews in her land that she gathered the courage to share her secret with the King. She bravely decided, “If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

Once the King knew Esther’s secret, her true identity, he issued a decree to protect the Jewish people. Esther is forever remembered in Biblical history for being a hero, because she told her secret with faith, courage, and for a much greater purpose than herself. 

God is our King and He already knows all our secrets. Nothing is hidden from Him. Yet He still calls us His daughters and sons and loves us unconditionally.  

Sometimes He calls us to share our secrets with others who have the power to help.  

If God is nudging you to share a secret, then like Esther, gather the courage to say “For such a time as this,” and tell it for the good of yourself and others.

Be brave. When we share our secrets with our King and others who can help, goodness can bind-up the brokenness, and scars can start to heal. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement