realism & encouragement

Esther ch.4 shows how Mordecai responded to Esther’s hesitation when asked to go to King Xerxes and plead for the Jewish people. Esther’s dilemma was acute: Xerxes hadn’t shown much interest in her for about a month (4:11), ‘Vashti-gate’ (ch.1) had revealed he was no fan of independently minded women; furthermore he was the kind of guy who agreed to genocide over a beer (3:15) – so the risk, in Esther’s mind, of being put to death by him was genuine.

Mordecai response to this contained two key elements – elements that are at the heart of a balanced Christian life – realism & encouragement.

Firstly, he reminds her that the problem (the planned destruction of the Jewish people) is just as much her problem as anyone else's – she is a Jew herself after all. It is a problem that won’t go away – so she must be face up to it. Secondly though, there is encouragement – because there is an opportunity here to do something significant for God. By stepping up to deal with this problem, Esther has the chance to make her life really count and to make her mark for God’s people.

The New Testament recognises the need to hold both these truths – realism & encouragement. We need them both or we will swing to unbalanced extremes. On the one hand we need to be realistic about ourselves and the nature of the world in which we live. We have to face up to the fact of our ongoing sinful tendencies – the struggles against the flesh and just how powerful that old part of us is. Equally, there ought to be no rosy-eyed naivety about this world’s approach to God – it is not a friend of Jesus, it is at its heart implacably opposed to His rule, it is the domain of the devil and to be a Christian in it will inevitably create a tension as we go against its grain. Without such realism – we will quickly become disillusioned by the struggles of faith, doubts will creep in about the reality of God’s care and power in our lives, we will think either we’re not ‘real Christians’ or perhaps the gospel isn’t true.

On the the other hand the New Testament is a book of encouragement – because despite the real difficulties we face there can be progress. We can move forward by God’s Spirit in increasing Christ-likeness, we are not doomed to failure every time temptation arises, the Gospel can and does influence societies when it is clearly and faithfully proclaimed. Ultimately we are encouraged by the knowledge of a sure and certain hope – a future that will be safe & secure in the presence of God forever.

All realism – and we could quickly become despondent and cowed by the problems. All encouragement – and we could become triumphalist and cocky in our attitudes. Christian maturity, let me suggest, is holding the two together.