Such A Time Like This
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19:25
It is the first week in August. This means it is time for my annual conference ritual known as The Leadership Summit; a gathering of thought and religious leaders to share ideas and concepts that will guide me for the remainder of the year. One of the speakers this year is Patrick Lencioni. I have seen him multiple times, and he is a great business leader and speaker. His talks and books have given me tons of ideas with one of them becoming a project I took to a department helping transform their entire way of thinking. So, this gentleman has had a significant impact on my career. As he stepped up to give the final talk for the event, I waited with bated breath for what he would share. And as usual, he did not fail to deliver. However, his words in this talk hit me in an entirely unique way. As a businessperson his talks were always ones that changed my thinking as to how to do my profession better. In this talk, the words hit at the center of the heart and challenged who I needed to be for God.
He spoke directly from the Bible noting the story of Esther. He sampled from a discussion between Mordecai and Esther. Esther was the Queen of Persia, and Mordecai, who is Esther’s brother, had gotten wind of a plot to kill all the Jews, of which both he and Esther were. As I quote the story, “Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”” (Esther 4:13-14) As he built up to the overarching theme of his talk, which centered on courage, the words ‘at a time as this’ rang in my head throughout the rest of his speech. He also referred to the part before saying, “We don’t have to answer God’s call, but if we don’t, He’ll move on to someone else and let us deal with the ramifications of it.”
As Christians, we are chosen by God for just such a time as this. We are often called upon to be silent in the workplace or public places or by friends to keep the peace. That is the voice at least in my head that tells me not to make trouble. However, what was challenging in Patrick’s talk was he asked the audience to say publicly, willingly, and unapologetically they are a follower of Christ. Now, I am happy to say that. But do I consistently walk it? When one of my friends says something, challenging what Jesus taught, am I willing to say, “Oh no. That’s wrong and not who Christ is.” Lately, I have challenged others about their views on who Jesus is. Yet, it was never to be bitter or mean spirited. Instead, it was to help them have a unique perspective. As a follower of Christ, it is wrong to judge others, but equally wrong not to call out things that go against our values. We should call out the abuses of a church, and it also is right to defend the church as the best answer for a world of ills. We ourselves are flawed, but we are always striving to live a life true to what Jesus Christ has taught us and should encourage others to do so as well. We must focus on is sharing who Jesus is while still being loving of those who we may differ in opinion. Why? Because it is as easy to slander someone as being Satan as it is to give them a pass for sinning because ‘that’s just the way they are.’ The hard and righteous path requires us to love as a Christian while still maintaining our fundamental belief of who we are as Christ followers. After all, there is a reason Jesus said, “But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:14)
God is always looking for someone to profess His name. We are given opportunities to do so, but doing so in Church and in the safety of our homes is one thing. Doing it at a pride parade is at a different level. The goal here is not to say go someplace and establishment and risk your livelihood to profess who Christ is. The goal is to do what God calls you to. It is scary, and it may even feel lonely. But Joan of Arc, when following through on orders from God to lead her country into battle, said, “I am not afraid… I was born to do this.” Jesus said, “So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:31-32) Let us follow today’s verses drawing nearer to God and holding firmly to the hope we profess. Where is God challenging you speak on His behalf? How can you be a loving advocate for Him? My prayer is we are willing to stand as followers of Christ for that is what is required for just such a time like this. Amen.