"They trusted in Him and defied the king's command and were
willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any
god except their own God." - - (Daniel 3:28)
Have you ever known someone who lived an outcome-based Christian
experience? What I mean by this is that their decisions are made
based on the positive or negative outcome, not on absolute
obedience.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three men who lived an
obedience-based life. When King Nebuchadnezzar passed a law that
said all were to worship his idol, these young men determined
they would not worship anything other than God. You can be sure
these men did not make this decision at the time of the decree.
Their decision actually had been made years earlier. Their
convictions were already in their hearts.
Each of us must come to a place of knowing what our boundaries
are in given situations. What will you tolerate from your
employer? What situation crosses the line for you? Where are the
boundaries for questionable practices in your life? If these are
not worked out ahead, you will live a life of situational ethics,
determining what decision to make based on the merits of the
situation.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to die for what they
believed. In this case, they were delivered from the fiery
furnace. God used their faithfulness to impact a king, and they
were promoted to higher positions.
Are you an obedienced-based Christian? Or are there situations
that can move you based on the outcome? God wants to know that we
will stand firm on the issues that are important to Him, no
matter what the outcome may be. God is looking for those who are
radical in their obedience. Does this describe your commitment to
Christ? If not, pray for this kind of conviction. The Lord will
honor you for this.
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