Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego don’t run away in fear from Nebuchadnezzar, nor do they resort to angry protest. To these approaches, there is a brave alternative demonstrated by those three young men from the Old Testament. Some have assimilated into the culture to the point that they blend right in. Others are rallying behind political leaders who promise to fight for their pet causes. Some are hiding away from the world as much as possible. The world has changed, and Christians are reacting to this in different ways. They might be discipled in the way of Jesus at a weekly youth group, but they are also being discipled into secular culture with every scroll of their smartphone.
They can worship Jesus, Buddha, or a flying spaghetti monster providing they keep it to themselves.Īdd to that the addictive nature of social media that sees many young people connected to a device every waking moment of the day. Young people are told they can believe whatever they want, so long as they don’t dare put their ideas onto others. Young people in schools find themselves navigating the idols of sexuality, identity, and tolerance for all ideas. Like in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, young people find themselves under pressure to bow to the statues of our times.
Are you facing pressure for being a Christian? When their non-compliance is reported the King gives them an ultimatum: bow to the statue or face the consequences. They work for the King, but they won’t bow to his statue. They believe that God alone is the creator of life and that he alone is the authority over right and wrong.
If people want to argue there’s a fiery furnace awaiting them.īut within the crowd are three brave Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who refuse to play along. The statue itself holds no special power but there is strong pressure to conform. Nebuchadnezzar was a fearsome ruler who wouldn’t think twice about eliminating dissent. The citizens of Babylon play along and bow to the statue, knowing that to do otherwise is a death wish. In the Old Testament book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar builds a giant statue and commands his people to bow down and worship the image. It’s left some believers grieving a world that once was and wondering if Christianity in the west will have a future or a funeral.Ĭompared to my teenage years, today’s young people enter a world that is a vastly more challenging place to be a follower of Christ. The world changed and for Christians, it’s been a rude awakening. Such programs have been abolished in some states.Ĭhristianity, once central to many western societies now finds itself at the margins. As society changed, questions were raised about the legitimacy of scripture classes within state schools. Fifty years later, the 2016 census revealed no religion climbing to 30% and those identifying with Christianity falling to 52% of the population.įollowers of Jesus have felt the societal shifts as the years have passed. In the 1966 Australian census, 88% of Australians identified with Christianity and not even 1% of people declared themselves to have no faith. The world feels less certain than it once did and opposition to the Christian faith feels stronger. Young people face issues today that were non-existent during my high school years. The world has changed dramatically in a generation. I often reflect on my own experiences as a teenager and how different the world is today. Travis Barnes is the author of Brave in the making.įor the past two decades, I’ve been sharing the good news of Jesus with young people everywhere I can.
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