With respect to people of every nation, tribe, and tongue.

Scripture Passage that caught my attention today: Daniel 3:29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that utters blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.”

Observation: Chapter 3 in Daniel is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace for not bowing down to the king’s new statue. When the king learned that their God was able to deliver them from his fiery furnace, he made a new and opposite decree (expressed in the verse above) indicating that anyone who didn’t worship Shadrach, Meshack, and Abendnego’s God would severely be punished.

It’s amazing the games we as people play, especially when we think we have a little power, as was the case with the king. First he uses violence to make people worship his statue. Then he uses violence (or threatens violence) toward those who don’t worship God, as if God needed the king’s help and protection!

Violence and total allegiance was the only language the king knew.

Application: I once read a forwarded post on a social networking site that professed Christianity and then went on to suggest that those who disagreed should just go find another country in which to live.

I pondered, “is that what it means to be a Christian…to wish hardship (moving to another country is not exactly a logistical piece of cake!) on those who disagree?”

True, the post didn’t suggest that those who disagreed should be thrown into a fiery furnace or torn limb from limb! Still, the post sounded very much like King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel who wished extreme harm on anyone who didn’t think and believe like him.

Whether we’re kings or just ordinary folks, we’re on shaky ground whenever we demand or insist that everyone else act and believe just like we do.

Thankfully, God’s love demonstrated through Christ offers an alternative language.

In the name of Jesus we need not we ostracize and alienate those who don’t practice total allegiance to our way of thinking and/or believing. Instead we can practice (and yes, it takes practice!) the more Christ-centered approach of invitation and welcome—not with platitudes filled with prideful boasts of country or religion, but to a life of grateful service with respect to folks of every nation, tribe, and tongue.

Prayer: Lord, your ways are so often not our ways. Help us make the switch to your way of thinking and working in this world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Daniel 3-4, Psalm 81, Revelation 17)