Friday, October 26, 2012

Solo

"Do not think that because you are in the King's house
you alone of all the Jews will escape."
Esther 4:13, NIV

Solo -- An endeavor performed by one entity, unaided or unaccompanied.

In life, the term is used to address any venture undertaken by a lone individual without receiving assistance from others. In aeronautics, solo refers to a flight in which an aircraft pilot is unaccompanied--without an instructor or companion. In music, the term solo is ascribed to a composition or a passage intended for an individual voice or instrument, with or without accompaniment.

Solo.

It takes courage to stand alone.
It takes stamina to feel the full weight of an enterprise.
More importantly, it brings immense pleasure to the heart to achieve such a feat.



It is no small wonder that soloistic endeavors are idolized, prized, revered, and promoted. Singling people out has been the obsession of homo sapiens ever since Eve took it upon herself to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. Later, when Abel's sacrifice was accepted, a jealous Cain, eager to have that desired spot, decided to eliminate the competition by murdering his own brother. Deep in our hearts, we crave as many solo opportunities as possible. We want to be able to say:

"I did it my way."
"I did it with my own hands."
"Not a single soul helped me on this one."

As tempting as that may sound, no one has ever been able to truly do anything solo. Everything we accomplish has been the result of perhaps thousands of little acts done by others on our behalf. Indeed, the pianist who plays Beethoven's Sonata, opus 110 is viewed alone on the stage. However, no one sees the mother who faithfully drove her boy to thousands of piano related activities between ages 6 and 18; no one thinks about the three or four different teachers he had by the time he finished his doctoral studies at 29; no one dreams of knowing the roommate who kindly stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to help wipe away his tears after a disappointing competition or master class, no one sees the chiropractor who helped him get back on track after a severe case of tendonitis, no one applauds the dozens of friends who keep sending encouraging notes spurring him on to bigger and better ventures, etc . . .

Young Esther experienced that very thing. Orphaned through casualties of war, she was raised by her uncle Mordecai. She grew into a beautiful young lady who later became queen (aided by Hegai, the eunuch) because she had not revealed her Jewish nationality and family background to anyone. When Haman plotted to kill all the Jews in Babylon, Mordecai challenged Esther's silence, "If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14, NIV)

At first glance, one may think that it shouldn't be too hard for Esther to slip a few words into her husband's ear. However, it had been thirty days since she was called to go to the king and, according to a firm edict, anyone who dared to approach the king in the inner court without being summoned would be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter, sparing his/her life. Sufficiently wise, Esther promptly realized that she could not go to the king without the assistance of others. So, she replied, "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." (Esther 4:16, NIV)

The fact that the Jewish people are still alive today is confirmation that Esther was successful in her pursuit. Her success was due to the fact that she realized she could not approach life with a solo mindset--she needed people and she needed God.

We need help.
We need the help of others.
We need the help of the One in control of all things.

Each time we try to do things in lone-ranger style, we simply crash and burn. We simply cannot change our lives for the better by attempting the impossible--doing it alone. Partnering with the Author of life is the only way.

He is the One who deposits dreams into our souls. He is the One who grants us the abilities, strengths, and passions to accomplish the tasks He has set before us. He is the One who sends the right people on our paths to help us along the way. He is the One orchestrating, conducting, and coordinating the events of our lives.

So, divadom must be out of the picture. When solo opportunities arise, instead of lording our privilege over others, let us be grateful for the assistance we have received along the way and let us keep our eyes on the conductor who is guiding us step by step.

Gracious Master, how grateful we are to You for enabling us to do so much more than we could ever imagine. Help us to remain tethered to the graciousness of Your hands, safe and secure in Your arms. May all the honor be Yours alone!

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