Two stories have always made me nervous: the story of Daniel in the lions’ den, and the story of his friends and the fiery furnace.
As a kid, I just couldn’t understand how ANYONE could choose lions or fire. Yes, I wanted desperately to have that level of faith, but it just seemed unattainable.
1 Peter 3:13-17 is a POWERFUL passage about suffering because of our good works.
Now, who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
While we in America aren’t in full tyranny mode, Christians are experiencing more and more backlash when we speak up on things such as homosexuality, abortion, and even certain political beliefs.
So, how do we hold our ground?
1. Realize that you will be blessed. (“even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed…”)
Mark this down as a promise!! God doesn’t owe us anything, yet He often promises bountiful blessings if we obey and trust Him.
Daniel (spoiler alert) is saved from the lion’s den, restored to his previous position, and his enemies are destroyed.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are saved from the fiery furnace.
2. Don’t fear. (“Have no fear of them, nor be troubled…”)
Fear is POWERFUL. Over and over in the Old Testament, God has to remind His people to not be afraid. Whether they’re afraid of the evil Egyptian pharaoh or the angels come to announce Jesus’ birth, fear is definitely a feeling every human is familiar with.
Daniel didn’t fear when he heard praying was now illegal. Instead, he opened his windows and still prayed. This is BOLDNESS!
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego spoke blatantly to the powerful king.
3. Honor Christ. (“…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy…”)
Our reason for doing the right thing a shouldn’t be to gain a blessing or preserve ourselves. Instead, our ultimate reason should be a drive to honor Christ in all we do.
Daniel kept praying, three times a day as he had previously done before.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to compromise by worshiping a false god, even in a new and scary situation (they had recently been deported from Israel and taken to Babylon; they could’ve easily “started over” with a new faith).
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to compromise by worshiping a false god, even in a new and scary situation (they had recently been deported from Israel and taken to Babylon; they could’ve easily “started over” with a new faith).
4. Be ready to defend your faith. (“…always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…”)
You do NOT have a to be a Bible scholar to stand up for what you believe in. Just start with your testimony! Ultimately, our faith isn’t rooted in logic or facts or data. Yes, we have those elements to back us up, but your testimony is one of the most powerful tools you have to share with people the “reason for the hope that is in you.”
The FIRST thing Daniel said when Darius found him still alive a day later was praise to God: “My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him.”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego gave a powerful speech to the most powerful man in the world at the time!! “Oh Nebuchadnezzar [the king], we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it down to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
5. Be blameless in all you do. (“yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame…”)
You don’t need to run into every situation with guns blazing! In fact, a gentle and quiet spirit wins people over more often than not.
Imagine if Daniel, upon hearing about the no-prayer rule, had marched up to the men who had put the idea in Darius’s ear and starting yelling at them. Imagine if he had gone to the king and started complaining. No!!
Instead, he went quietly to his room and prayed. There is no sign that he even struggled when taken to the lions’ den. He didn’t yell at the king (“Why are you doing this?! You were supposed to be my friend! You’re a coward! You’re a joke of a king!!”) and later, he reminds the king that “also before you, O king, I have done no harm.“
Imagine if Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego had been cussing at Nebuchadnezzar. Imagine if they had been calling him names or saying snarky things to get a last jab at the king that would end their lives. Don’t get me wrong: they were BOLD in what they said (read over that passage again!!). “Gentleness and respect” doesn’t mean you have to be a mouse.
Instead, because of their testimony, Nebuchadnezzar praised them and their God. If they had been idiots, he probably wouldn’t have been as likely to be impressed by their God (which, again, is our ultimate goal).
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Final thoughts
I was so excited when I read this passage in 1 Peter and immediately made the connection to the stories of Daniel and his friends. I would love to think of other stories that have this model and take notes on how each of these Bible characters follow these five steps. If you can think of any other story, please DM on Instagram @beloved.magazine!
And, dear beloved one, keep walking the walk with gentleness and respect, always ready to share the hope that is in you.
