THINK TOGETHER
Have you ever had to do something really hard, but it was the right thing to do?
READ TOGETHER
There's a book in your Bible named Esther. Can you find it? The book of Esther tells the story of how Esther, a beautiful Jewish girl, married the king of Persia. But there was a big problem. He did not know that she was Jewish (from the nation of Judah). He thought she was Persian like him. Then there was an even bigger problem. The King's advisor, a wicked man named Haman, convinced the king to kill all the Jews in the city.
Queen Esther had a choice to make didn't she? If she was quiet and kept pretending to be Persian she would live, but all her people might die. If she told the King she was Jewish and tried to stop Haman's plan, she could die. What would you do? Listen to how her cousin, a godly man named Mordecai, encouraged her:
Esther 4:14. [Mordecai said to Esther] if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but...who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Esther was very scared, but she courageously told the king that she was Jewish and not Persian, and she told the king about Haman's evil plan too. And guess what. The King killed Haman instead of the Jews. God used Esther to save her people!
Did you know that, like Esther, God has placed you exactly where he wants you? You are in the right family, school, neighborhood, and church, just as God planned it. That doesn't mean things won't ever change, and won't be hard. But it does mean that, like Esther, God wants you to be brave and help others like she did. He doesn't want you to hide that you are a Christian. He wants you to live like Christ.
Jesus was like Esther. He didn't hide who he was and he courageously went to the cross for us. And three days later God rescued Jesus from the grave to live forever. Now, we too are rescued from sin and we can be brave like him.
Because of Jesus I have been rescued from sin.
With Jesus I can be brave and stand up for what is right.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Talk with your children about where they might need to be courageous and stand up for others like Esther did.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, you were the bravest ever and died in my place on the cross for my sins. Help me to be brave too and help others who can't help themselves. Amen.
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