Think Before You Speak or Act....

I want you to answer the following questions...Don't worry..they aren't hard...Answer them TRUE or FALSE.

1. Thirty minutes is too long to wait for a table at a restaurant.
2. You get irritated if a friend takes too long to text you back.
3. Waiting at red lights drives you crazy.
4. You tend to think through all the alternatives when making decisions.
5. When you shop, you buy the first pair of jeans you like instead of looking around more.
6. You can't stand commercials when you're watching TV, so you either change the channel or use your DVR to fast-forward through them.
7. When you finish a test, you turn it in only after you've double-and triple-checked your answers.
8. You can recall a bad-hair phase that resulted from a spur-of-the-moment decision you made to cut or dye your hair.
9. You look for the shortest line at the checkout counter and race in front of others to get there first.
10. You prefer to read the novel rather than watch the movie based on it.
(taken from Esther-The Role of a Lifetime)

Hmmmm....How did you do? Did you answer true to most of these or false? Look more specifically at questions four, seven, and ten....If you answered false to these I think we can assume that you do things in a hurry. Is that a bad thing? Well, not necessarily, but SOMETIMES being hasty can cause some real problems...

I have been doing a study on the book of Esther..WOW! I am so intrigued by what this book has to offer us as women...yes, you are considered a woman :). For the next few weeks the plan is to look at some things brought to my attention by reading this amazing book in the Old Testament. So, grab your Bible and come study!

Can you think of a time you were in a hurry and forgot something of importance and had an embarrassing moment? I received an email from a friend a couple of weeks ago that is a nurse. She has three kids and obviously a crazy lifestyle. She went to the hospital to make her rounds and after she completed them she looked down at her feet...What did she find? Well, she was wearing two different tennis shoes--they were both tennis shoes, just not matches. Did this hurt anyone....NO ONE but maybe her, but sometimes our actions have impact on other people's lives--and sometimes that isn't a good thing..

Well, let's look at Esther Chapter 1 to meet a man whose actions set off a chain of events that changed EVERYONE's lives. Who do we meet, but King Ahasueres (yours might say Xerxes). We find out that he was a powerful man. He had everyone under is thumb except for Greece and he was throwing a party...not just an ordinary party, but a party that lasted 180 days or SIX MONTHS!
SIDE NOTE: When we read on in chapter 1 we can really see the decorations because they are described to us: white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver roods and marble pillars, couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble (verse 6)! That sounds like an extravagant place to me. One study I am working on (Esther-Its tough being a Woman by Beth Moore) suggested reading those verses like a movie maker.
The King had a beautiful wife named Queen Vashti. We don't know too much about her, but we do know she was beautiful! The King wanted her to come and show her beauty to the people and the officials (verse 11)--but she didn't want to. She REFUSED! This made the king furious--actually anger burned within him (verse 12). So what did he do? Well, he turned to those close to him to see what they thought should happen to Queen Vashti for her not obeying the king's orders. I love some of the responses from those in his cabinet (read verses 16 to 22)---the advice we receive sometimes should be taken with a grain of salt...
What happens to Queen Vashti--well, we don't know for sure...all we know is that she has been shown the door and is no longer in the picture. Some speculate she was killed, but the Bible doesn't tell us that---Read verse 19---she can come no more before the King and let him give her position to someone who is better than her!

What do you do when someone angers you? Do you turn to people around you like King Ahasuerus or do you turn to the Lord? What do you think you should do first?
I think you should turn to the Lord...talk to him about it. The best way to soften your heart towards someone is to pray. If you need to ask for advice on how to handle a situation to a trusted friend or someone you look up to, that is okay...just make sure you aren't doing it "hastily." Unfortunately for females--gossip tends to be a problem...it doesn't matter your age. When you go to someone and are angry--things come out that shouldn't. Have you ever had an argument with another friend, sibling, or even parent that you said something you wish you wouldn't have? Most of that is done in haste.
Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes (Proverbs 19:2 NIV).
I always heard the phrase "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me" growing up....I don't think that is true at all! It is hard to forget isn't it when someone has said something to you that hurts!
So, SLOW DOWN! Don't hurry! Give it to the Lord before you do something you wish you hadn't!!!