Scripture: Daniel 3:17 – “If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us.” (NRSVue)
Back in the 1980s, First Lady Nancy Reagan created the slogan, “Just Say No” as part of the war on drugs. While the efficacy of Reagan’s initiative has been debated, I think the idea of taking a firm stance in the face of pressure to do something you know is wrong to be very empowering, especially because that level of courage can be extremely difficult.
Reagan pointed out that the potential for addiction and death that came from unregulated drugs that would come from saying “yes” was far worse than the potential for social isolation and bullying that would come from saying “no” to peer pressure. But when the immediate danger is before you, it can be very easy to capitulate.
Stories of refusal to go along with dangerous, cruel, and evil behavior can be found throughout the Bible, but one of the most famous stories is that of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace from the Book of Daniel. Like many of the stories in Daniel, this one tells of a spectacular miracle which gives a moral lesson about the endurance of faith.
The story is set during the Babylonian exile, where the Jews were expected to assimilate into Babylonian society by following the whims of the tyrannical King Nebuchadnezzar and idolatry to the Babylonian gods. When the king makes a ninety-foot-tall golden statue, he demands that every bow down before it, or be thrown into a furnace. Everyone bows down except three Jewish administrators – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they are brought before the king, they accept the punishment, certain that God will deliver them from the furnace. They refuse to worship anyone or anything else. However, when they are thrown in, an angel appear among them, and they emerge without being singed or even smelling of smoke. So impressed is the king that he excuses the Jews from obeying the law.
For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the issue came down to just saying no. Even in the face of an outrageously horrible death, they simply refused to obey, a classic form of nonviolent resistance. The prospect of breaking their covenant to God was worse to them than the threat of death.
For us, things are rarely as simple as just saying no. There are many factors that make it difficult to resist the temptations in our lives or to take a moral stand when it seems like resistance is pointless. But faith in God is not just about being saved from catastrophe, it is also about finding the courage to resist, to take the strong but difficult stance to do what is right. Today, think about some temptation or fear that you are giving into. Ask God for the wisdom to see what is right and the courage to just say no.
Prayer: Lord, deliver me from the fires of fear and temptation that I may ever be faithful to you. Amen.
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