Esther's Courage Advocacy in the Age of Social Justice

We live in a time where advocacy is vital, yet it often feels overshadowed by a world that thrives on division and fear. Death lurks in the shadows of our lives—death of authentic relationships, death of courage, and death of the voice that advocates for the marginalized. Just like Esther, who stood up for her people, we too face a call to courage in the face of the status quo. Let’s name these deaths, feel the weight of what must end, and face the honest admission that we often fall short of the advocacy we are called to.

Naming What Must Die

In a society inundated with quick opinions and social media outrage, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. The old identity must die—the one that clings to comfort and silence in the face of injustice. Esther walked away from her status as queen to risk her life for her people; we too must let go of our comfortable positions, whether that means stepping away from social media echo chambers or confronting difficult conversations at work.

Consider the destructive patterns in your life. Maybe it’s the habit of scrolling through Twitter instead of engaging in meaningful advocacy. You know the app—endless feeds of retweets that drain your energy without leading to constructive change. This habit needs to die. Or perhaps seek to end the false securities that come from relying solely on what we can control. Esther had to abandon the security of her palace to advocate for her people; similarly, we must confront our ego and our tendency to protect ourselves instead of defending those who are vulnerable.

The fear of rejection and criticism also needs to be cast aside. Esther faced potential death for her advocacy, and we often face social death when we stand up for justice. It’s time to assess the areas in our lives where we’ve opted for silence instead of speaking truth. The call to courage demands that we identify and name these issues. Are we willing to let them die?

Then comes the dying:

The descent into death is rarely easy. It often involves a painful journey of letting go. Just as Jesus faced His Gethsemane moment, we too encounter times where we wrestle with our fears. Esther had to confront the reality of her advocacy, feeling the weight of potential consequences. You might feel that same tension when considering speaking out about social issues at work or in your community. There’s an ego death to be experienced when you risk your reputation for the sake of advocacy.

This process of dying is about stripping away layers of self-preservation and comfort. It’s the time when you post a video on TikTok advocating for social change and feel your palms sweat as you hit “upload.” It’s the moment when you confront a friend about their harmful comments on a conference call, knowing it might disrupt the group’s harmony. This is where resistance creeps in. You might hear that little voice saying, “Stay comfortable; don’t rock the boat.”

But it’s essential to embrace this discomfort. Jesus cried out in sorrow, and Esther surely felt the weight of her decisions, knowing that advocacy could lead to her demise. This dying process requires vulnerability and courage, as we allow ourselves to be stripped of old identities and false securities. It’s painful, but it’s also transformative.

In the darkness:

Holy Saturday represents a liminal space, a time of waiting after death but before resurrection. The disciples experienced a heavy silence, the same silence that lingers in our lives when we are caught in the in-between. Esther waited in a state of suspense, uncertain of her fate and the fate of her people. The wilderness seasons can feel desolate, like a dark night where hope seems far away.

In this in-between space, we often question our decisions. Just as the disciples felt lost without Jesus, we may wonder if our advocacy efforts even matter. It’s the feeling of hitting a wall after posting a passionate blog about social justice, only to receive backlash instead of support. You check your notifications repeatedly on Instagram, hoping for validation, but the silence is deafening. That silence can be agonizing, filled with doubt and fear.

But this darkness is not the end. It’s a necessary space where transformation can begin. It’s where we wrestle with our fears and failures, allowing them to surface. The wilderness is a place of testing. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a project that’s facing opposition, or your remote work situation feels like a constant battle against apathy. The waiting can feel endless. But it’s in this dark space that God does some of His best work.

But Sunday is coming:

The unexpected morning brings with it the thrill of new life emerging. When the stone rolled away, the disciples were surprised by the resurrection. Similarly, Esther’s advocacy led to the salvation of her people,