For Such a Time as This

Journal 2006 07 13
For Such a Time as This

“The indian woman who has been of great Service to me as a pilot through this Country recommends a gap in the mountain more South which I shall cross.—” Clark

“…found my bearskins entirly destroyed by the water, the river having risen so high that the water had penitrated. all my specimens of plants also lost. the Chart of the Missouri fortunately escaped. [3] opened my trunks and boxes and exposed the articles to dry. found my papers damp and several articles damp. the stoper had come out of a phial of laudinum and the contents had run into the drawer and distroyed a gret part of my medicine in sucuh manner that it was past recovery.” Lewis

Clark records Sacagawea’s contribution to the Corps as they pass through this area familiar to her. Her ability is made obvious by the comments of Captain Clark. At least this time he refers to her as “the indian woman” rather than as “our interpreter’s squar.” Don’t know why the Captains don’t use her name.

Like Clark a few days earlier, Lewis opens a cache and finds that his plant samples and medicines have been destroyed. Everything else is damp but survives.

My mind rolls back to the picture of this teenage mother leading this battle tested group of wilderness travelers. She has long proven her worth as a member of the party by her courage and contributions. When she gave up her beautiful and valued blue beaded belt for Captain Lewis’ personal gain on the Columbia Rivera she cemented her commitment to the mission and the men leading it. She is confident in her ability to lead the men through this uncharted country based on what we would call childhood memories. Remember, she was no more than fifteen years old when she was captured and carried away.

Would you trust any portion of your enterprise to a sixteen year old? What would the dynamic be if you put her in charge of leading your veteran employers? It is a tribute to Clark and the rest of the men that they didn’t grumble at following this young Shoshone woman.

In our world today the Captains would publish a leadership book and it would have to include a chapter about shared leadership. How would they present this material? Would it be in recognizing training and skills in your team? Would it be found in a chapter on unlocking the potential of your team? Or would someone draw a conclusion that included the benefits of clashing cultures?

I offer a better explanation. The example of a young Jewish princess known for her beauty. Her beauty was used by God to reveal her character. And it is in her character that she is immortalized as an example for young women throughout eternity. God revealed her heart through her character and beauty. And that is a beautiful thing. Her story is found in the book of Esther in the Bible. The fulcrum, the point of leverage and change, occurs when she is faced with death if she defends her people or eternal guilt if she remains silent and watches the slaughter of the Israelites. Her Uncle Mordecai poses the question to her, “If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this.”
(Esther 4:14 MSG)

The question holds the answer today as it did centuries ago. We were created for today. And for the problems of today. And for the blessings of today. We must fight the battles of today. For Esther it was bringing the truth to her husband the King under the very real risk of death. For Sacagawea it was speaking up to let the Captains know that she could lead the men. Was she risking death? Not from the Captains. But if they rebuked her and ignored the truth of her knowledge they could well have led the men into situations that brought death. She spoke up. She was created “for such a time as this.” And she revealed her heart and she proved her worth. I hope young women draw inspiration from her as they have from Esther over the years.

The only question that remains is how about each of us? Have we faced our “for such a time as this?” How did we respond? What was revealed of your heart? Was your character formed in the process? If that time is yet ahead of you, and I will contend that if we are still living that it is, ask the Lord for wisdom to see it when it arrives that you may be revealed to be like Queen Esther, fit to rule as royalty.

Proceed on.