Purim

This Saturday, March 11^th, is the Jewish celebration known as Purim. This holiday isn’t listed among the traditional feasts in Leviticus because it didn’t begin until the days of Queen Esther. In the biblical book that bears the queen’s name, an evil anti-Semite named Haman convinced the king to push for the extermination of the Jews living in the Persian Empire.

Esther, at the behest of her uncle Mordecai, risked her life and standing with the king to stand up for her people. Understanding that this could prove fatal, Mordecai urged her to consider the obvious: “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14)?”

The king’s law that allowed for the Jews to be slaughtered could not be changed, but after Esther boldly begged for his help, her husband added to the law that the Jews could defend themselves (and Haman was executed). When it was all said and done, Esther and her people were spared.

We live in a world that is full of evil people like Haman, and full of wickedness like he displayed. We may wonder when God is going to act. Maybe God is waiting on you to act; maybe you are where you are for such a time as this. Use the voice you have been given, the platform on which you stand, and the resources with which you have been entrusted. Look for a way to be a part of the solution.

This weekend let Purim be a reminder that sometimes things get bad before God steps in, and that sometimes God wants you to be the one to step in.