[I’ll be sharing more about these three words at Harbor, the Pepperdine Bible Lectures, on May 6, 2020]
Esther’s world was filled with injustice: nationalism, political idolatry, sexism, abuse, and racism. Her story focuses on how she is awakened to the injustices and, once awake, joins God’s revolution in resisting and repairing these injustices. This awakening happens through three phrases spoken to Esther by Mordecai. They are three phrases spoken to us by God. In them we find the prophetic challenge and the daring call to collaborate with God in his cause to end injustice. They are phrases oriented around solidarity, sovereignty and sublimity.
Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews … you and your father’s house will perish.” (Est. 4:13-14 ESV)
This is a word about solidarity.
The trauma tormenting those we close our eyes toward will eventually torment us as well. Because they suffer, we will suffer. No border or barricade can protect us from the pain plaguing the people we turn our backs on. We share a commonality with those whose wounds we refuse to cure. What infects their world will inevitably impact our world–no matter how sanitized, sanctified or sterilized we try to make it. Every attempt we make to escape the suffering of others–through relocation, inaction or distraction–merely delays the inevitable. Any cancer diminishing life for our fellow humans will, in the end, diminish life for us as well. We stand in solidarity with every man, woman and child traumatized. And thus, we fight for a cure to the injustice common to us all.
