Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego … (Daniel 3: 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 22, 26, 28-30).

The most famous story in the Book of Daniel doesn’t even have Daniel in it.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego: every single time they appear in Scripture, they appear together and “in order,” always Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  Each and every time, standing as one, speaking as one. They appear first in chapter one, bearing their Jewish names, play a critical support role to Daniel in chapter 2 (see 2:17), appear without Daniel in chapter 3, and, having played their role in redemption’s story, disappear from Scripture.

Our three young heroes are in the tight space of exile, the tighter space of serving the King who defeated and devastated their homeland, and the tighter-still space of this week’s chapter: bow down and worship the statue erected by the King or die.

The young men defy the command to bow in worship before the image, standing while everyone else is prostrate.  The King “graciously” gives them a second chance, accompanied by this warning: “If you do not worship, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace.  What god can rescue you from that?”

The friends reply, speaking with one voice: “If we are thrown into the furnace, our God is perfectly able to save us.  But even if he does not, we will not serve your gods or worship your dumb statue” (3:16-18, slightly modified).

We create idols when we confuse God’s good gifts with God himself: we make a god out of what is merely a thing.  Sunlight, water, food, fertility, health, beauty and all good things are good gifts; they make terrible gods. Our current pandemic is a terrible thing, but among its salutary effects is the way it can expose the idols of our own day.  

Among those idols, we might name these: Comfort; Convenience; Control; Security; Safety; Health, Mammon (Wealth); Autonomy.  None are intrinsically evil, but as objects of our worship, as sources of our identity and meaning, when we see them as the center and source of life, they turn into idols.  

It’s important to know when we must stand upright while others are prostrating before an idol.  The right kind of friends can be a great encouragement and support. But we can’t become these kinds of friends in an instant, in the face of the crisis.  We must become these kind of friends, and nurture these kinds of friendships regularly, day in and day out, so that, when the crisis does come, we’ll know with whom to stand.Good leaders (Daniel!) are great gifts! But even if Daniel isn’t around, God can still make us like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, “furnace friends.”  

You just need to find your Meshachs and Abednegos—or become one of them to the Shadrachs God gives to you—before you get to the furnace.

If you are gifted with friends like this, why not take a moment to thank them for being such good friends?  Yeah, you’ll both feel a little awkward—but you will also have given a received a precious gift!

If you don’t think you have such friends at this time, ask God to show you whom you might befriend.  What is one step towards them you could take this week (observing social distancing, of course!)