Making Disciples, Teaching Courage

 

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:19-25 ESV).

 

Today’s reading is from a larger context (Daniel 3:1-30) that most people are familiar with. It is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They knew that their first allegiance was to God and they should worship only him. Nebuchadnezzar did not recognize any authority above his own; he wanted to be the object of worship. He had commissioned a great statue and ordered that everyone must bow and worship his image or face execution by fire in a furnace.

 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to face the anger of the king and even die rather than deny their heavenly Father, in whose image they were made. They faced adversity with courage and modeled for the king what it looked like to honor the convictions of their faith. Their testimony is compelling. In effect, they said, “We believe God is able to save us, but even if he does not do that in this life, we will not worship anyone but him.”

 

This statement enraged the king so much that he raised the temperature to the point that even the soldiers in charge of these men were killed by the heat. But God protected his servants from the fire and allowed them to leave the furnace unscathed. After the dramatic rescue of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the king had a change of heart and praised God. Their faith mentored the king himself.

 

Courage to stand up for your convictions in the face of adversity is one of the principles that must be taught through the modeling of wise mentors. Are you committed to being such a person?