Overcoming Fear for the Benefit of Others

It is my belief that fear is an inward focusd emotion. We all have fears, but when we allow our fears to dictate our actions (or lack of actions), we choose selfishly. I have always loved the story of Esther in the Old Testament (see Esther 1-10). Esther was a heroine in every sense of the word. She was beautiful, gracious, obedient, beloved by all. And yet she feared. When it was revealed to her that the Jews in Persia had been sentenced to death by Haman, her cousin, Mordecai, encourageed her to exercise her position as queen and seek the king's help. This may seem reasonable, but as we read in the story, the queen was not in a position to go before the king without being summoned. To go before the king without permission meant death, even for the queen, except for in rare situations where the king would hold out his golden sceptre and allow his unsolicited visitor to proceed. Esther knew that if she went before the king, she would likely die. She expressed her concerns to her cousin, Mordecai. Mordecai responded with this, "For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and delivereance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" As I read this passage recently, I was moved by a simple truth expressed here. Esther had a choice. She could risk her life by going before the king without being summoned, or she could quietly go about her business. If she didn't go to the king, the Jews, her people, would be destroyed. As she had not revealed herself as a Jew to the king, was it possible that she would be spared? Esther could have used her fear as an excuse to shrug off repsonsiblity for the Jews in Persia and could have tried to conceal her heritage in an act of self preservation. Instead, Esther called upon the Jews to fast with her that she might have strength and courage sufficient to carry out her frightening task, she went before the king, and she revealed herself as a Jew and sought the king's help. What acts of courage! Esther feared more for the lives of her people than her own. Her choice was based on outward focus - concern for others over concern for self. Although my acts of courage are not as dramatic as Esther's, I have had experiences when I had to choose between using fear as an excuse and exercising great faith and courage for the sake of others. I will share my experiences in a future post, but until then, I invite you to share your experiences. Have there been times when you have set aside your fears for the benefit of others? What gave you the strength to set those fears aside? How did you feel afterward?