Every week you’ll find different types of posts here on the ABS blog. Today’s post is for teachers, to encourage conversation and reflection in your Bible study group. Each “Let’s Talk About” activity can be used at any time during your meeting and lasts approximately 10-15 minutes.

Today, let's talk about...

GOD NEEDS YOU

Esther 4:12-14

When they told Mordecai Esther’s words, ¹³ he had them respond to Esther: “Don’t think for one minute that, unlike all the other Jews, you’ll come out of this alive simply because you are in the palace. ¹⁴ In fact, if you don’t speak up at this very important time, relief and rescue will appear for the Jews from another place, but you and your family will die. But who knows? Maybe it was for a moment like this that you came to be part of the royal family.”

Key Verse:

In fact, if you don’t speak up at this very important time, relief and rescue will appear for the Jews from another place, but you and your family will die. But who knows? Maybe it was for a moment like that you came to be part of the royal family. —Esther 4:14

Commentary:

When life is difficult, it’s natural to take on a victim mindset. We begin to believe that bad things happen to us no matter what. We see the barriers and boundaries that keep us trapped in positions of weakness. In this Scripture, Esther easily could have taken that approach and, in fact, started to succumb to that attitude of “there’s nothing I can do.” But Mordecai reminded her that the painful experiences had placed her in a position to speak for the benefit of the Jewish people in a way no one else could. Her purpose could be found on the other side of her struggles. We, like Esther, might be surprised to find our purpose when it presents itself.

Questions to discuss:

When have you found a way to make a bad situation better?

When has someone spoken truth to you or challenged you to be a better version of yourself?

Who in your life is an example of someone who lives with a sense of purpose?