When is it wrong to do right

Scripture Read: Esther 4:9-14 Hathach came back and related Mordecai’s words to Esther. ¹⁰ Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: ¹¹ “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” ¹² They related Esther’s words to Mordecai. ¹³ Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. ¹⁴ “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”   

Application: When is it not the time to do what is right? If God is involved in something, can we really thwart His workings? These two questions leap out at us from this passage! Mordecai has sought the Lord over the decreed destruction by the King, instigated by Haman. God has opened communication to Esther of what is about to happen. Esther in turn has related back to Mordecai the truth that she would place her life in great jeopardy if she does what he has requested. Yet Mordecai is unchanged in his direction for her response. Too many times we as believers, in an effort to protect ourselves, choose not to stand for right, justifying ourselves with the fact that we were not participating in doing the wrong, therefore we are not sinning. 

This is exactly what much of the church did during the Nazi terror. Father, nowhere in Your scripture is it taught for those that love You to be silent when confronted with obvious evil. There is a line that we have to be aware of to not cross over into getting to caught up in the affairs of this world, but that line does not exist when it comes to protecting the weak and innocent against evil. Time and time again, in Your Word and in history we see Your people stand against evil, even when it costs them their lives. Much evil has been done in the name of the church, but it is clear that that church was led by men, not You. Mordecai affirms the truth that if a person thinks they can escape evil by ignoring it – they will be surprised when that evil turns on them. The other truth is that Mordecai models what real faith is. He makes Esther understand that if she will not be used by God to accomplish what He desires, God will raise help from somewhere else. He is warning her that God’s plans will not be frustrated by man. In Acts 5:38–39 “So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”  What ever we do we need to stop worrying about popularity, market mentality or polls. Is God in it? Then be a part of it! We cannot protect ourselves, we must have faith that He will finish it and as we join Him in His plans we will enjoy the fruit that He brings as we obey and bring Him pleasure. Father, guide us in Your ways.

Meditation Questions: When you are involved in an endeavor, is it your view that only you are involved? When you see wrong happening what do you do about it? Do you ask the Lord what you should do about it? When is it time to not get involved in something? How can we know when to draw the line on our involvement?