I was reading Daniel 3 yesterday, and something new stood out. I saw the importance of having friends who share your convictions. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were unwilling to compromise their beliefs to please Nebuchadnezzar. They were all on the same page in knowing what God required of them. They all knew the truth and what was right, regardless of what the majority was saying or doing. Imagine one of them saying, “Well, King, I don’t see a problem bowing to your statue…” or “Come on guys, we can just bow, but that doesn’t mean we’re worshipping it” or “It’s not that serious, guys, come on, we can ask God for forgiveness later, let’s just bow so we can live.” I am glad neither of them said those things. I am glad neither of them allowed the fiery furnace to shake their faith. I am glad Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not persuaded by the majority bowing down. Just because most people do it does not make it right. Just because it is the popular thing to do does not make it acceptable. What if the majority is wrong? The Bible speaks of the broad way that leads to destruction. Though none go with us, can we still follow God? I am glad they did not try to conform with everybody else. I am glad they did not lose their identity in Christ as the only ones standing for Him.
So many of us are experiencing an identity crisis. We do not know who we are in Christ. We allow society and what culture is saying to define who we are. Our desire to belong causes us to do anything for anybody. We have no standard for ourselves. We do not know what we should believe. The world around us causes us to question what God said in His word. We will be led astray when we are not surrounded by the right people. We all have the desire to belong, but we must beware of the places and people to whom we want to attach ourselves with. Who we surround ourselves with matters. Who we connect ourselves with matters. It can either make or break us. It can either pull us towards or away from God. It can either cause us to progress or regress. A true friend would never want us to compromise. A true friend would never want us to displease God. A true friend would never encourage us to sin. A true friend would never make excuses or make sin seem “little.” A true friend understands that the devil is not playing with us, so we should never be playing with him. A true friend understands that the wages of sin is death. A true friend understands that life is short, but eternity is long.
Proverbs 1:10 (KJV) says, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” It can be much easier for us to not give in to sin when surrounded by people who do not desire to sin. Peer pressure and the pressure to conform can be difficult when we place ourselves in a position to stumble. Some of us grew up in church and know the way, but sinners have enticed us to turn aside. Culture has caused many to change what they once believed and the standards they once held. As believers, we are called to be set apart. We must be okay with being different. We must be okay with standing up when everyone is bowing down. Also, from this story, we can see a sense of unity among believers. Believers were never called to be united with darkness. We are never called to negotiate with compromise or sin. We are never called to make darkness understand the light of Christ shining through us. I find too often that believers of today try so hard to get the approval of the world. We try so hard to be liked and loved by the majority. Believers are trying to become like the world, while the world longs to see Christ revealed through them. How can we win the world when the world is winning us? How can the world see differently when we are becoming more like them? How can the world see the light when we rather live in darkness?
This season, we must be connected to people unwilling to make space for sin. We must be connected to friends who refuse to bow to the world’s system. We must be connected to friends who will not make excuses for sin. We must be connected to friends who will back us, stand with us, and support us, as we stand against wickedness. We must be connected to friends who believe that holiness is still right. We must be connected to friends whose faith cannot be shaken by the threat of death.
May God surround us with bold believers like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in this last day hour!
Raphael R. Roker 