The Big “If”

“And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16)

Drama queens.  I have known a few in my time – still do.  A drama queen is defined as “a person who habitually responds to situations in a melodramatic way.”  We find them in our families, our political structure, our schools, our businesses, the check-out line at our supermarket – and yes, even our churches.  The thing drama queens have in common are out of control emotions, reactions rather than responses, and a need for attention.

Personally, I much prefer when people respond to life with the attitude many Jewish people have.  They live by making such statements as, “If it rains, it rains?”, “If you miss the bus, you miss the bus!”, “If they don’t like you, they don’t like you!”  The translation of their Jewish expressions is this: “It’s not the biggest tragedy; there are more important things.”

We find in the Old Testament book of Esther this sort of attitude embodied in faith and trust.  Esther was struggling with a problem.  She was trying to save the lives of her Jewish people, but in order to do so, she had to risk her own life.  Married to the king, she knew he was the one who could save her people from the evil plans Haman, an official in the court of the Persian empire, had to destroy her people.  But approaching the king, though her husband, could have been dangerous for her.  First, to approach him on behalf of her people, she would have to reveal to him that she herself was Jewish.  That might possibly have made the king feel she had deceived him.  Second, there was protocol to follow.  Even as his wife, Esther had to be summoned by the king.  She could not merely enter his presence anytime she wished.  The danger existed that if she did so, he might possibly have her killed.

Esther felt she had but one option.  Go to the king and risk her life in doing so.  Her attitude rested in her words we find in Esther 4:16 – “If I perish, I perish.”  What she was proclaiming was that there were greater things in life than trying to survive.  If she lost her life for the sake of her people’s lives being saved, she knew she would be blessed eternally with something much greater.

Esther has a lesson for us.  We don’t have to be drama queens, who panic when feeling like we are losing control.  Nor do we need to go into a tailspin when things don’t go the way we want them to.  Nor do we need to lay awake at night plotting what to do when people don’t act the way we think they should.  There is no panic in heaven!  Nor is there any drama at the throne of God!  Never has been – never will be.  Therefore, there need not be any in us.

Whatever your fear is, approach it in the way Esther did.  Tell yourself, “So what?  It won’t be the end of the world.  I don’t have to fear the situation anymore.  I’ve got a treasure and a love in heaven that is greater than anything down here.”  None of us need be drama queens.  We are children of the King of Kings!

Darlene