The king’s orders were crystal clear. Everyone in the kingdom must bow down before the new statue or be executed in an oven. As word spread across the land, it was showtime. The statue was unveiled, the band played a melody, and the nation began to bow. Row after row, standing subjects took a knee before the 90-foot statue. It must have been a mesmerizing moment for the king. He gleefully gazed at thousands of people bowing before him— except for three guys. Friends of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refused to bow before the king’s graven image.
READ: Daniel 3:8-18
This made Nebuchadnezzar’s blood boil. Who were these refugees that they didn’t fear him or respect him? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that failure to bow would send them into the fire. That didn’t stop them from standing up for what they believed in, even if they were standing alone.
They could have easily rationalized bowing down. They could have outwardly bowed while inwardly praying to God. They could have claimed, “God doesn’t want me dead.” They could have crossed their fingers the whole time. They didn’t. They boldly stood their ground when everyone else was against them.
What do you need to stand up for today? God may be calling you to speak out against the idolatry of our culture. God may be calling you to stand up for derogatory or prejudiced language at your school. God may be calling you to challenge the cultural current of objectification. God may be calling you to step up and share your faith, even if it frightens you.
Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, live fearlessly. Stand up for what’s right— even if you’re standing alone.