Hi, I’m Tameka, and welcome to another story of grace transcending borders, even the borders of regret. If this story touches your heart, please like and share so others can experience this grace too.
Esther’s Silence Almost Cost Lives
Esther was a young Jewish woman living in exile in Persia during a time of great political upheaval. Orphaned early, she was raised by her cousin Mordecai, who served as a government official. When King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) dismissed his queen, he held a kingdom-wide search for a new queen, and Esther was chosen, though she kept her Jewish identity secret.
But her new royal position was not for comfort or ease. When a cruel decree was issued to annihilate all Jews in the empire, Esther faced a terrifying choice: to remain silent or to risk her life by speaking to the king on behalf of her people. Mordecai challenged her with a haunting question recorded in Esther 4:14:
“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Esther’s hesitation was understandable—appearing before the king uninvited could mean death. But her silence could have meant devastation for her people. Ultimately, Esther embraced her purpose and spoke boldly, changing the course of history and securing deliverance for her people.
This story reminds us that sometimes our circumstances place us exactly where we need to be, not for comfort, but to make a difference.
Folklore Wisdom: The Silent Messenger
An old West African folktale tells of a man chosen to deliver a message that would save a kingdom. As he journeyed toward the palace, he passed through several villages. In each one, he was offered food, music, and dancing. Distracted and flattered, he stayed longer than intended. By the time he arrived at the palace, the kingdom had already been invaded. The message he carried—one that could have warned and prepared them—was too late.
He had the truth.
He had the opportunity.
But he lacked urgency.
The Night I Danced Instead of Witnessed
I was baptized at the age of eleven, after a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit. I cried my way to the altar, ready to live for God. That commitment stayed with me through many stages of life. But when I moved to Montego Bay to study hospitality at a HEART institution, things began to shift.
Montego Bay was vibrant. The hotel industry was lively. And the nightlife? Tempting.
I started partying and living like most people my age—free and careless. I made friends who never knew about the Jesus I loved. One of them was my barber and dancing partner. I went out one night and ran into him, and we danced until 4 a.m. I walked home, he took one of his taxis home, and we agreed to meet at 7 a.m. for my haircut later that morning.
When I arrived at the shop, I sat in the chair waiting for him. But he never came.
I did not notice the candles lit.
or the flowers that was placed at his station as a memorial for him.
I turned around to see his picture on the glass on his station.
I hollered. I was lost when I found out that he died in a car crash minutes after leaving me. His taxi collided with another vehicle. He was the only one who died.
I never once shared the gospel with him.
I cannot remember doing it.
I had so many opportunities. We laughed. We hung out. We danced. But I said nothing about salvation.
I grew my hair out and never partied again.
Like Esther, I had a moment that could have mattered.
Like the messenger in the folktale, I got distracted by the music and missed the mission.
Grace Beyond Regret
That night still haunts me. It was about 25 years ago.
But I also know this—God’s grace is bigger than my silence.
He has taught me not to take moments for granted. He has reminded me that discipleship doesn’t always wear a robe or speak from a pulpit. Sometimes it sits in a barber’s chair or walks out of a club at 4 a.m.
Grace Across Borders: Biblical Lessons and Global Legends 
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