MAKING AN IMPACT FOR GOD: THE COURAGE OF CONVICTION
As my elder brother passed through death into life everlasting life, a hospital chaplain spoke of the process as a “tug of war” between Creator God and Medical Science. My brother, like many of us, had made the statement, “When God is ready, I am ready.”
Whereas God was indeed ready, Medical Science managed to prolong my brother’s earthly life even though brain activity had ceased. Since most of us played the game “tug of war” using a rope, we get the picture: God pulling heavenward, Medical Science pulling earthward. The chaplain was right, The Author and Finisher of Faith always wins that final battle. However:
During that period of life often referred to as “the dash” (the period between birth date and death date), there are many moral and spiritual struggles which mature people of God are held accountable for winning – simply because we know better! We made a commitment to walk with the Lord in the Light of His Word. Therein lies our challenge:
21st Century Culture presents to us choices based on personal preferences. Christians must make decisions based on convictions of the heart.
So, the issue becomes whether and to what extent we compromise with society’s expectations relative to our assimilation into, or adaptation to, today’s cultural shift away from Judeo-Christian morality to an “anything goes” mentality. Christians of course don’t live in isolation from the world into which we were born or for whatever reason find ourselves living in now . . . In every part of the world, a great many of our brothers and sisters in Christ live in hostile environments.
Jesus knew this would happen, so, on the night before His crucifixion, He prayed that God would guide and protect His followers as they faced challenges to their Christian Commitment once He ascended back to the Father. “As you go through trials and temptations, keep in mind that I have gone to prepare a place for you . . .” What was our Lord concerned about? That assimilation into the world be without compromise with the world. No withdrawal. No hibernation. No isolation.
Even so, we all know that holding onto deeply-held Christian beliefs, while at the same time withstanding pressure to compromise convictions, is not at all easy. Never has been. Never will be.
As far back as we can go in biblical history, The Committed had to deal with pressures put on them by the Uncommitted to embrace certain cultural standards which, if they did so, would force them to compromise their religious beliefs . . . to renounce their Christian way of life. The same is true today.
Christians are constantly pressured to compromise Biblical standards . . . Christian principles . . . the Christian way of life . . . Judeo-Christian values so as to accommodate the socio-political agenda of a given segment of society.
Thus, desperately needed by The Committed is a leadership example of how to make an impact in “our world” – for God and for good – without compromising our Christian convictions.
The focus of the Book of Daniel is: How God used four Hebrew young men to impact a pagan culture in which they were forced to assimilate – Daniel 1:1-21 . . .
Even in a free society, godless segments expect if not demand Christians to assimilate (to become like, to absorb the ways of, a prevailing government or ruling class) . . . which is not always a bad thing. Nevertheless, it is incumbent upon devoted Christians to consider the effect that “going too far” could have on one’s total commitment to the Cause of Christ . . . one’s personal Christian testimony.
Times have changed drastically, and our world is hugely different from his, but Daniel’s response to the demands of a pagan culture is exemplary:
(1) Daniel honored the conviction of his heart – and so should we. Daniel had been taken to Babylon against his will, but, for a purpose. The destruction of Judah and the subsequent captivity had been allowed to occur in keeping with God’s purpose (working in and through all things to bring about what is best for those who love God and remain faithful to Him). To accomplish that goal, only the best and brightest of Hebrew young men were selected to go through three years of intensive training for being assigned to duty in the king’s service.
Smart enough to know that, in their new country, he and his friends would have no choice but to learn the language and literature, as well as adopt manners and customs of Babylon’s people, Daniel went along with what he conscientiously could go along with. He went along – up to a point at which he “drew the line”.
Daniel “purposed in his heart” (made up his mind) that he would not defile his relationship to the LORD his God by breaking God-given laws – in this case Jewish laws pertaining to dietary restrictions which by the way Christians have no problem with . . . but to a devout Jew I Daniel’s day, such laws were taken seriously. Think about Christian values which we “hold dear” and take seriously . . . Would we, and if so, to what extent would we, be willing to compromise?
Rather than cause an ugly scene and draw negative attention to himself, and others, by loudly protesting and stirring up trouble, Daniel’s brilliant mind enabled him to devise a plan that would honor his convictions and, at the same time, respect his Babylonian overseer whose cooperation with Daniel could have cost him his job, even his life. Honor your convictions, yes . . . but at someone else’s expense? Daniel honored the conviction of his heart – and so must we.
(2) Daniel put his conviction to the test of faith – and so should we.
It was one of those “Elijah at Mount Carmel” moments . . . It was one of those “do-or-die” moments of faith so strong that as Paul put it, “If God be for us, who can be against us!” Be convinced that to do “this or that” is God’s Will!
To Daniel, there was no shadow of a doubt about it! “Test us for ten days and see what God does, or be done with us!” Folks: This was more than a contest between a young Jewish teenager and the king of an empire. This was a tug of war between LORD God and Satan . . . “If God be for us, and we believe He is, we live. If God be not for us, Satan wins and we die!”
Daniel’s faith demonstrated his reliance on God . . . invited the power and presence of God into his life . . . pleased God . . . produced a blessing that would forever be remembered! Daniel believed God would heed his plea. And God did!
In times like these, we are being put to the test of our faith. Will our response reflect a faith that relies on God . . . invites the power and presence of God into our lives . . . pleases God and brings about that which is best – for us, and for others?
Daniel put his conviction to the test of faith – and so must we.
(3) Daniel became a living testimony of God’s grace – and so should we. Daniel’s faith was recognized by the king’s officials as genuine. He and his friends therefore found favor not only with God but also with a pagan king who praised them and concluded that they were ten times better than all his advisers put together. Wow!
Would you agree that leaders of today’s nations would do well to seek the advice of some of our wisest and ablest spokespersons for God?
What a difference it would make if world leaders relied on the LORD God for wisdom . . . welcomed the power and presence of the LORD God into their lives as a matter of practice . . . pleased the LORD God by publicly praising Him for His goodness, and prayerfully seeking His Will in all matters of governing? Double Wow!
Daniel became a living testimony of: spiritual insight and godly wisdom . . . sound judgment and wise decision-making . . . how to win friends and influence people by helping rather than hurting . . . earning the respect of everybody, even unbelievers, by doing the right thing at all times, but never hesitating to “draw the line” when it comes to the possibility of compromising convictions of the heart.
Daniel became a testimony of God’s grace – and so must we. Draw the line!
In times like these, we need more folks who, like Daniel, have convictions of the heart and honor those convictions . . . have faith in God and demonstrate that faith . . . are willing to become, and be, a living testimony to God’s grace. In times like these, our challenge is to be one of those folks that we need more of! Amen.
