Step up to the plate

There is a phrase in baseball (and life) which I use a lot: "step up to the plate." Since I am a lover of baseball, this phrase gets a lot of mileage with me. It is very relevant for our spiritual lives, as well.
Just this morning, I was finishing the story of the biblical character, Esther. What a hero of our faith! Even though she faced possible death for approaching the king of the land in which she dwelled, she did "step up to the plate." Sometimes, what is not said in a Biblical passage is as important as what is said. The text doesn't say exactly how Esther felt when she approached the king. Were her knees knocking? Was her voice crackly from nerves? Did she feel butterflies in her stomach? Was she filled with dread on what would happen to her? The text does not say! It simply says that she put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, opposite the king.
Later, she seemed to lose her nerve and delayed sharing her request with the king (which involved accusing his assistant, Haman, of a heinous plot to annihilate her race). She invited the king and Haman to a banquet then balked, then invited them to a second banquet, where she finally blurted out Haman's genocidal plot.
What all this means to us today is that there are times when we have to "step up to the plate," and exercise our faith. That doesn't mean it will be easy. That doesn't mean that we will have no doubts. But it does mean that God calls us to act on our faith.
It may be to reach out to someone who is needy. It may be to sing in the choir or praise band. It may be to oppose a racist remark someone makes. It may be to step up to the altar and say "I do" to the one you love. It may be to step into that funeral of a loved one. It may be to walk away from gossip. It may be to walk away from that group of friends at school who offer you drugs. One thing is for sure: if you "step up to the plate," Jesus steps with you. He will strengthen you, even if you feel unsure, scared, or downright nauseas. Step up to the plate!!! And you will be blessed by the One who made you!