Merida. Rapunzel. Belle. Anna. Pocahontas. Mulan.
One common theme runs through their stories: bravery. Not just some act of death defying heroism, but pure, sacrificial bravery. Merida, after having her mother turned into a bear and journeying to find the resolution to her wrong doing, admits her failure and vulnerably confesses her need for her mother.
Rapunzel bravely bargained for Eugene's life after he was stabbed by her stepmother. If she was allowed to heal him, she would give up her new found freedom and remain her stepmother's slave for the rest of her days.
Belle, upon seeing the condition of her sickly father in the Beast's dungeon, bravely took his place as the Beast's prisoner, giving up all hope for the adventure she hoped all her life to live.
Anna, though her own life is slowly waning as her heart is turning to ice, steps in front of Elsa right before Prince Hans brings the sword down upon her. Using her last breath to save her sister's life, rather than her own.
Pocahontas, tired of the bloodshed between the Indians and the settlers, blurs all barriers by placing herself in harm's way in order to save John Smith, and join the warring sides together in peace.
Mulan, knowing her elderly father would surely be killed if he were to follow the emperor's orders, breaks the law, disguises herself as a man, and reports for battle in his place.
These stories captivate the hearts of little girls of all ages around the world. Girls from twelve to twenty-two to fifty-two long to be the heroine of some grand adventure.We look at these princesses wishing and hoping we had just an ounce of their bravery. Yet we are awakened from our daydreams by the alarm that is the mundane.
Instead of darting into battle on the back of a dark stallion, we are darting to and from the office, the supermarket, soccer practice, and classes in a dirty, silver Nissan. We aren't shooting a bow or unsheathing a sword in the face of adversity, rather just clicking pens, scrubbing pots, and whisking batter in the face of normality and routine. Our hair doesn't billow in the wind as we look dramatically off into the sunset, but rather is pulled up into a messy bun as we rush out the door frantically running through our to-do list. We aren't applauded or awarded for all the things we do, more often than not we are invisible and unseen to the general populace of the world. But inside beats the racing, valiant heart of a warrior princess waiting to be unleashed.
Amidst the mundane, there is one other princess turned heroine story I cling to. This story is not a myth, nor a legend, but in fact truth. It is the story of the beautiful, Jewish orphan Hadassah, who became Queen Esther of Persia. She had no fame or fortune, or even really family. But she was kind, brilliant, humble, and lovely. Upon being rounded up among the eligible bachelorettes of the Persian empire to be brought before the king, she was ultimately chosen as the new queen. What seemed a daydream, soon became a nightmare.
The evil prince Haman despised Esther's people, the Jews. He wanted them all entirely annihilated. It a cowardly move, he distorts the truth to the king, paints a blurred picture, and convinces the king to destroy the Jews. Upon hearing of the death order, Mordecai, Esther's cousin who had raised her, begins to weep bitterly. When word of his distress reaches Esther, she sends an attendant to discover what is wrong. Mordecai unveils the untimely truth to the queen and then makes a desperate plea: "Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:13-14).
Mordecai called out the destiny in Esther. There was more to her appointment as queen then her beauty, kindness, and brilliance. There was the hand of God. It was for this time and this moment that she had been placed on earth. She could either embrace that fact or run from it. As can you.
Bravery doesn't just happen "Once upon a time...", it happens when you realize that you have been created "For such a time as this..."
You were put on this earth for a specific purpose that only you can fulfill. No one else. You may not know what it is in its full capacity, but there is reason for why you are where you are right now. It may not be easy. It may not be safe. It may not be comfortable. It may be downright terrifying. But it will be worth it. You have the choice between safe and mundane, or terrifying and unexpected.
Esther did in fact risk her life, go before the king, and plead for the lives of her people. Her obedience was rewarded by favor with the king, ultimately sparing the lives of her people. What then is it that you have been created "for such a time as this"? We are in the midst of a broken and dying world in need of love, compassion, beauty, boldness, and bravery. We can sit idlely by hoping for the day someone more famous, more wealthy, more bold, more brave will do something about it. Or we can step up and step out and move boldly in the direction of our destiny.
The world needs you, brave one. Unleash that warrior spirit. Be bold. Be beautiful.
Be brave.
