Episode 355
Speaking Up for Justice in Difficult Times
"You don't have to go marching and protesting or be the loudest person, but if you see the person behind you in the grocery aisle being treated unfairly or something happening to them, say something."- Wesleyne
Word of the Day
Esther 4:14
"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."
Summary
In this episode, we reflect on the story of Queen Esther and the importance of using our voice to stand against injustice. Esther 4:14 highlights the pivotal moment where Esther had to choose between staying silent and risking her life to save her people. This passage serves as a powerful reminder that we are often placed in specific situations for a purpose. We are encouraged to recognize these moments and act, even when it feels challenging or uncomfortable. By speaking up, we fulfill our responsibility to help those who cannot speak for themselves and make a difference in the world around us.
Takeaways
- When feeling defeated, remember that God is not a God of defeat.
- Negative emotions are tools of the enemy and should not be embraced.
- Letting go of control and surrendering to God allows Him to work in our lives.
- Fully surrendering to God means taking our hands off the situation and trusting Him completely.
- Continually release worries and anxieties to God, trusting that He will take care of them.
Chapters
- 00:00- Queen Esther's Story
- 00:43- The Weight of Silence
- 02:31- Speaking Up Against Injustice
- 04:00- Embracing Our Purpose
- 05:11- Continuing to Release and Trust
What questions are you struggling to answer? Wesleyne would love to answer these questions for you personally. Send any questions or prayer requests to hello@askwesleyne.com
Follow Wesleyne on Instagram @wesleynewhittaker
Transcript
Queen Esther, in the book of Esther, we walk through her life, how she became a queen, and how she saved her people. Today I wanna hone in on one verse, Esther four, verses 14. 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.
Wesleyne (:So rich.
Wesleyne (:preceding this verse, we see that Esther was chosen to be a queen among many, many people. And her heritage was unknown to her king, her spouse, her husband, and her people were under attack. And so her uncle who raised her,
simply said this very strong statement, if you remain silent at this time, there will be relief for the Jews. It will come from somewhere, but your father's family will perish. So can you imagine that? Can you imagine the weight that she felt for remaining silent? If she said nothing, then her father's family would die.
How often do we say nothing? We think that I'm going to keep my nose out of this. I'm not going to worry about this or say this to this person because it's none of my business. How often do we do that? And what are the ramifications? What are the things that we suffer with if we say nothing?
Could our family perish? Could we perish? Could we not open our eyes and our minds to the next opportunity?
Wesleyne (:Don't remain silent. There's always a time to speak and a time to remain silent. But if there's injustice, if there's something that is happening against your people, if there's something happening against those that are unable to speak for themselves, it is your responsibility to give a voice to the voiceless. You don't have to go marching and protesting or...
be the loudest person, but if you see the person behind you in the grocery aisle being treated unfairly or something happening to them, or if you notice that your brother or sister or somebody in your family is not being treated well, say something. Because like Queen Esther, who knows this?
You may be in this position for such a time as this.
The place that you are in right now today, God has placed you in that job, in that family, in that grocery store, in that car, in that airport, on that stage for such a time as this. So don't be a quiet Christian. Don't be a person who just operates in the shadows. Use your voice. Use what God has given you.
to help those that need help because He has uniquely placed you in the position you're in for such a time as this.
