Daniel’s three friends were told to bow to the king’s statue. If they did, they would live. If they didn’t bow they would burn. They refused. “…even if he does not [rescue us],” they said, “…we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:18).

Let me share a question with you: “Do I trust that God will do more with my glorifying him than with my denying him?” Let me share three scenarios to explain:

Let’s say that Daniel’s friends decided to bow down. ‘Let’s just keep our beliefs to ourselves and outwardly do what the king wants. After all, God is loving and kind and would never want us to endure anything difficult.’

In this scenario of compromise, they would not have made the good confession and the lives of thousands of others would still be at risk. Implicit in this attitude is that God would do more with their denying him than with their glorifying him.

Scenario two is exactly what happened. They made the good confession and remained true. God rescued them, the king praised their God, and thousands of others were saved because the event made the king change his murderous law.

For scenario three, let’s say that they made the good confession, but that God chose not to rescue them. In that situation, they would have died and gone to heaven—a much better place than here! And we would have been inspired by their bravery in the face of both death and tyranny. 

God is bigger and wiser than we are. There are difficult moments when we don’t know what to do. We may be tempted to turn away from God. But putting him first and remaining true is the better option. Just because we can’t see how he will bring good out of bad in a certain situation, that doesn’t mean he can’t do it or doesn’t have a plan.

Do I trust that God will do more with my glorifying him than with my denying him?

As we think, talk and act, let’s put God first no matter what. When we do, he will use our thoughts words and deeds for the eternal and glorious work of his kingdom.

Notes:

-Bible quotes are from the NIV.