Don't Shoot the Messenger
When God Sends Hard Truth in Crisis
A lot of times God's voice isn't thundering from a pulpit—it's coming from the broken heart of someone who might just love you enough to tell you truth that you need to hear but maybe don't want to hear.
You Can't Dress Up a Broken Heart
When Queen Esther heard that Mordecai was mourning in sackcloth and ashes, her first instinct was to send him royal clothes. "Then was the queen exceedingly grieved, and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not" (Esther 4:4).
Sound familiar? When crisis hits, we often try to throw "clothes" at the problem—offering comfort, distractions, or quick fixes. But Mordecai rejected the gesture because you can't dress up a broken heart. His people were marked for death, and new clothes weren't going to solve the genocide problem.
Sometimes the best solution isn't to send clothes to cover up the crisis—sometimes it's your commitment to stand up.
Why God Needs Faithful Messengers
Enter Hatach—a name most people skip over, but absolutely crucial to God's plan. "Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was" (Esther 4:5).
Hatach wasn't just any servant—he was trustworthy. And here's what made him a faithful messenger: "And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai" (Esther 4:9). He didn't edit the message. He didn't soften the hard parts. He delivered the exact words.
This world needs some Hataches—people who will deliver God's message without changing it, even when it's uncomfortable.
Details Matter in Crisis
When Mordecai sent his message through Hatach, he didn't give vague generalities. "And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them" (Esther 4:7).
Notice what Mordecai provided:
- Personal impact - what was happening to him
- Financial details - the exact amount (10,000 pieces of silver)
- Documentary evidence - a copy of the death decree
In crisis situations, details matter. When someone tells you "I'm in trouble," you need specifics: what type of trouble, who did what, who said what.
If you want to find out the motive, follow the money trail. The devil always has a price tag, and corruption often comes down to greed and the love of money.
Taking Personal Ownership
Mordecai told Hatach to tell Esther to make her request "for her people" (Esther 4:8)—not "for the Jews," but "her people." He wanted her to take personal ownership.
The most trustworthy people are those who have skin in the game. When you say "my church family" instead of "the church I attend," you're taking personal responsibility. If the ship has a hole, you're going to plug it rather than abandon ship.
The Call to Action
"And who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).
Mordecai's famous words remind us that God places us where we are for a purpose. Sometimes that purpose requires us to leave our comfortable "palace" and take action, even when it's risky.
When God sends you a messenger, don't shoot the messenger—listen to the message.
Are you willing to be a faithful messenger? Are you willing to deliver the complete truth, even when it's uncomfortable? Are you ready to take personal ownership when crisis hits your community?
God isn't always speaking the loudest from a pulpit. Sometimes He's speaking through a faithful messenger who loves you enough to disturb your peace in the palace because the people on the outside are perishing.
🎧 📖 Ready to go deeper? This powerful message from Esther 4 contains so much more wisdom about faithful messengers, crisis response, and God's hidden providence. I encourage you to listen to the complete expository preaching, where you'll discover additional insights through this verse-by-verse bible teaching. The full sermon reveals layers of truth that can only be appreciated in context—don't miss the complete picture of how God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways.
[Listen to the entire message here]