Our Vital Role in the NOW! A Lesson from Esther.

A print of this Minerva Teichert painting hangs on the wall of the Relief Society room in my parent's ward building. This painting depicts Queen Esther of the Bible, standing before her husband in a moment of vital decision. I never understood its significance, not until recently.

At my Stake Conference a few weeks ago, the President of the Salt Lake Temple, President Child, and his sweet wife, Sister Child spoke to us. I have been pondering Sister Child's words ever since, and wanted to simply blog a little on my thoughts.

Sister Child briefly recounted the Bible account of Queen Esther, the most beautiful maiden in the land that was chosen by King Ahasuerus to be his queen. Unbeknown to the king, however, was Esther's Jewish heritage. She had been counseled by her adoptive father to keep her heritage a secret from the king. Later, when a wicked and powerful man, Haman, decrees that all the Jews in the land shall be put to death, Esther's father counsels her to reveal her heritage to her husband, and speak on behalf of her people.

I can only just imagine how Esther felt at that moment. The fate of her family and friends laid to her charge, I am certain that she felt fear in the face of her husband, who had divorced his previous wife when she refused to obey him. She must have had thoughts amounting to "why me?" and "this isn't my responsibility, someone else can do it." I am sure that we have all had those thoughts. I am sure that we have looked in the mirror and said to ourselves, "why do I have to struggle through this?" "why would the Lord ask ME? I am sure there is someone more qualified/ better suited." But, Mordecai addressed these fears with a very profound statement.

Mordecai, Esther's father said to his daughter in her moment of inadequacy, and self-doubt, "Who knoweth but thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14. He told her that perhaps the Lord had prepared her for this moment, for a time when her people would be in danger and on the brink of extinction. He told her that perhaps the Lord wanted HER in this very difficult circumstance, because SHE was the only one who could perform this vital role at that time.

Do we think about that? Do we really consider that our role in the now, in our trials, in our callings, and our jobs and our classes is exactly what the Lord has prepared for us? Do we look upon each moment in life as a stepping stone to creating the kind of man or woman whom the Lord can rely on, who He can use for the benefit of all His sons and daughters?

Although we may not be called upon to save the Jews, or spend a night in a lion's den, or stand on a wall prophesying, we have been called to the time that we live and in the circumstances we are experiencing. Who knows but that you and I are speaking with the voice of the Lord every time we say a kind word or do our part to lift other's burdens and strengthen the feeble knees of those around us? Who knows how doing your visiting teaching this month, or having an optimistic attitude at work, or smiling at someone on the bus can be a fulfillment of the Plan of God for each of us? Who knows how important it is that we endure our trials well and have faith that the Lord has a plan for our lives?

May we stand, as Esther, and reveal who we are as covenant sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, and have the faith, hope and confidence that the Lord has us in the hollow of His Hand. "Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"