Musings

Redeem the Time

Tammy M CardwellLeave a comment

Copyright Jordan Benton (on pexels.com)

This was not a normal Sunday.

There was already a lot going on in my head when service began, and this was one of those days I had to force my rabbit-trail-loving brain to focus only on worshipping God. Some people assume I’m different in some way, that everything comes easy for me. But the fact is I’m like anyone else, and too often it takes a conscious mental effort to shut down the bombarding thoughts that try to derail my worship.

For the record, I won this morning and worship was great.

Then I sat down and realized I had a staff notification on my phone.

One of our young moms passed away this morning. There was no warning, no indication that anything was wrong, at least not as far as I know. Her family is very active in the church. She and her husband have led one of our groups for years – a group that is headed out to a concert tonight. Well, I assume at least most of them will still go, though with heavy hearts.

Her daughter gets married soon.

My heart breaks for her husband, kids, soon-to-be son-in-law, his family, and the youth kids who love her daughters – our whole church, actually. But those kids…there were some seriously red-eyed teens walking out the doors after service.

This threw me. Some people might think that as a church secretary I’ve seen enough church members pass that it would eventually get easier. Nope. It doesn’t. This is my family and I love them.

Mind you, I’m THRILLED for her! She is quite literally exactly where she’s been heading ever since the day she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. It’s everyone else…all those who love her. Thinking about everything left me so befuddled I couldn’t even discuss it with God on the drive home, or not cogently.

She was so young, only in her 50s. No one expects anything like this.

You don’t. Do you?

I think if she could send one last message, it would likely be a warning to redeem the time: Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior if you haven’t. Grow even more deeply in love with Him if you have. And tell everyone you can that Jesus is the only One who saves, because any one of us could be standing in front of Him before another day passes.

Literally, you just never know. Redeem the time.

Celebrating Jesus,
Tammy C

Even Through the Pain

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Yesterday was one of the hardest days I’ve had in years.

Did I know Charlie Kirk personally? No.

Had I ever even met him? No.

But I’d witnessed…

Charlie Kirk was driven to reach and help a generation that most of America has given up on. His approach was unique, involving respect and honest debate, and his special combination of sincerity, verity, integrity, and unwavering conviction had an impact that had evil running in fear.

Yes, evil. This is undeniably a case of good versus evil – God’s kingdom versus the devil’s pseudo kingdom.

Be it in a college campus debate, on his show, or in some more intimate setting, as far as I can tell Charlie based every answer, every explanation, on a foundation of truth, be it truth from the Bible or truth from accurately presented history.

Has he been accused of saying things to the contrary? Yes. As has been proved time and time again, especially in the political and religious arenas, it’s possible to take a statement out of context and make it seem to mean pretty much anything you want. Some of his words were given this same treatment, but when you go back to the context the lie becomes clear.

If someone chooses to believe the lie, that’s on them.

I’m rambling. I know I am, and for once I don’t care. I don’t think I’ll even go back and edit this. I’m still so messed up that I don’t even care right now.

But here is something I do care about.

Reactions: Everyone’s reactions, including mine.

We all know how great the differences are between the two “sides,” but it’s never been more apparent than in these two days. Those who publicly celebrate the assassination of a human being, any human being, are wrong.

Disagree with me if you like, I don’t care.

Here’s the deal. I’m going the political route for this, but only because it’s the most obvious. It still applies.

I wasn’t an Obama fan.

I wasn’t a Biden fan.

I wasn’t a Harris fan.

I did not speak out against them.

I did not wish them ill. (Out of office, yes, but never ill.)

I PRAYED.

Yet, how many have I heard… No need to go there, I suppose. We’ve ALL heard people scream about wishing Trump were dead, wanting someone to kill him. Murder seems to have become the order of the day here in the US lately anyway, which again… good v. evil.

Why have I spent years praying for those in office? Partially it was because I want things to go well in my country. But more importantly?

God doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell: Neither do I.

Those are not just words; they’re my heart, and they apply here. They’re why I’m praying for those who are celebrating Charlie’s death.

I did not want my abusive husband to go to Hell; I was only at peace when he died because he had recently gotten his life right with God and I knew he was in Heaven.

I do not want Charlie Kirk’s assassin to go to Hell. I literally started praying right away that, while I want him found and brought in, I also want him to accept Jesus and know the love that can only come from God.

Which is exactly what Charlie would have wanted. I know this because I’ve seen the fruit of his life. In fact, getting back to Charlie, just this morning I posted the following to my Facebook page.

It just dawned on me. 

Yesterday morning I was once again looking at James 1:1 in Rick Renner’s Interpretive Version. 

James said, “I am one whose life is dedicated exclusively to doing His will and to faithfully carry out any assignment He will ever entrust to me.”

That was Charlie Kirk. He gave his life, literally, striving to reach a generation that many have given up on. He did much more, obviously, but this one thing in particular has been close to my heart and I know he, too, was a bondservant of Jesus Christ.

That’s what I want to be.

Celebrating Jesus, even through the pain,
Tammy C

Our Advantage

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Once again, the Renner Interpretive Version of the Bible set my thoughts along an unexpected path. It happened in James 1:18b

God’s dream was for us to be a never-before existing type of people – brand spanking new, novel, and unlike anything that has ever existed – creations of His own making that entirely belong to Him.

These last words, “that entirely belong to Him,” paired with “a never-before existing type of people,” startled me.

What about Adam & Eve?!

What about Adam and Eve? I had to think on it a minute before it dawned on me. They had free will from the beginning. They could freely choose to either walk with God or disobey Him and face the consequences. The problem was that, unlike those of us who came to God scarred and battered, they had no comprehension of sin’s cost.

So, in reality, they didn’t “entirely belong to Him.”

Don’t stop reading yet.
I’m going somewhere with this.

Ride the train with me while it jumps to a different track. Track jumping is normal for me as I study the Word: Consider this an introduction to how my brain works.

I’ve thought a lot about the Millennial Reign and Eternity. One thing that has always interested me is that we will never stop having free will.

That being the case, what’s to stop us from deciding at some point that we won’t serve God anymore? Yes, I know there will be no temptation, but why?

If 1/3 of the angels changed their minds and fell with the devil, what’s to keep us from following suit?

If Adam and Eve chose the forbidden fruit, what makes me think we won’t make the same mistake?

The answer is in this verse, revealed by Renner’s more detailed interpretation. We are an entirely new type of people, and as such we have a distinct advantage over the angels that fell as well as Adam and Eve.

We started out in sin!

Adam, Eve, and the angels – before they fell – may have understood the disobedience we call sin on a conceptual level, but they couldn’t really conceive its cost.

Like travelers falling for a hotel’s fancy sales pitch, they thought they were entering into a life of luxury. But instead, they got a rat-infested, mold-consumed room. They all left perfection to dive headfirst into a life that could never truly satisfy. The world’s false promises are like that room, leaving you regretting your stay even before you’ve unpacked.

We have just the opposite experience.

We started out in sin. I certainly did, and ‘though I was a teen when I was saved I was aware enough to realize things had changed.

Before accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, we were intimately familiar with sin and its myriad costs. We know exactly where we came from, and the closer we get to God the less temptation there is to go back to that deceptive hotel.

So yes, because of where we came from and where we know we’re going, because we have accepted His lordship over our lives and walk in His salvation, we entirely belong to Him.

And that makes us unlike anything that has ever existed.

Which answers my previous question. Yes, we will still have free will in eternity; it won’t vanish, but it also won’t be influenced by doubt, uncertainty, or deception. We’ve walked in sin, lived in sin, and – praise God – been delivered from sin. Like someone who has survived a house fire, we’ll never be tempted to play with matches.

Romans 6:18 (NET) expresses it perfectly: “…and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.” That slavery brings ultimate freedom and eternal assurance; that’s our advantage.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Don’t Let a Bad Tip Ruin a Good Witness

Tammy M Cardwell2 Comments

More and more lately, I come across social media reels from non-Americans asking why we do certain things. One common question is, “Why do Americans tip their servers?”

It’s a fair question, especially since it seems we’re the only nation, or one of the few, that does it.

The answer may surprise you.

Here in the U.S., the federal government classifies servers as “tipped employees.” Depending on the state, this means restaurants can pay their servers as little as $2.13 an hour on the assumption that tips will make up the rest of their pay. Yes, really. Tips are the bulk of their income.

That young person who brings out your steak and refills your tea? They literally depend on your tip to help them pay rent.

This is where I pull out my soapbox; as a Christian, this is an issue I feel strongly about.

A Conversation I’ll Never Forget

Several years ago, a devoted Christian friend, one who was also a server at a popular local restaurant, shared something that’s stuck with me ever since.

She told me no one ever wanted to work the Wednesday night closing shift.

Why?

Because every week a large group from a local church would come in minutes before closing. They’d order big meals, linger over their food, make demands long after closing, and then leave without tipping.

Like I said, this wasn’t a one-time thing. It happened week after week.

Everyone at the restaurant knew exactly which church these people came from, and that church’s reputation took a serious hit. Even worse, their bad behavior hurt the reputation of Christians in general.

That was when my friend taught me a phrase I’ve never forgotten: “Church People”

It’s what the servers she worked with called “Christians” who showed up with entitled attitudes and left no tips. Some even “preached” to their servers about Jesus, but they didn’t act much like Him.

A Higher Standard

The world will do what the world is going to do. I get it.

But Christians are called to a higher standard.

When I hear someone who claims to follow Jesus say, “I only tip if I get exceptional service,” it makes my stomach turn. It’s a good thing God doesn’t hand out grace using that standard!

If we want others to see Jesus in us, we must walk like Him. We should be the kindest, most generous, most appreciative customers in the building.

Yes, even if the service is slow.

Even if the food isn’t great.

Even if we’re hangry.

It is possible to deal with issues in love rather than entitlement.

Because our witness isn’t just about the right religious words coming out of our mouths. It’s about how we treat people, all people.

So… Please…

If you’re going to be rude and demanding…

If you’re going to skip the tip…

Don’t tell your server you’re a Christian.

Don’t write a Bible verse on the receipt.

Don’t wear your Christian t-shirt to the restaurant.

Don’t ruin your witness over a few dollars.

Let’s do better.

Let’s not be known as “church people,” but as people who show the love of Jesus one generous tip at a time.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Tip Challenge:
The next time you eat out, leave your server an extra generous tip just because you can,
and say a prayer for them as you lay it on the table.

It Wasn’t Just Hair: Understanding Samson’s Fall

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Have you ever wondered about Samson and why it was so devastating when Delilah cut his hair? I have. I mean, I totally understood from the beginning why the Spirit left him, but when I was young the hair thing made no sense to me. Even when I came to understand its significance, I didn’t really get it. I mean, it was just hair, wasn’t it?

No. It wasn’t.

Any happily married woman who has ever lost her wedding ring knows that she didn’t just lose a ring. If it’s her husband who lost his ring, she really knows it’s not just a ring that’s been lost. Their rings are a sign of their covenant, and whether it’s her ring or his that’s lost, she feels the pain. Yes, it’s only a symbol of the thing, but it is a significant symbol, and loss of that symbol can inspire devastation and even guilt, almost as if one has touched the marriage covenant itself.

Samson’s hair was such a symbol. It was a visible representation of his covenant with God. The covenant may have been established by God and his mother before his birth but he had lived under, and reaped the benefits of, that covenant his whole life. What made things worse in Samson’s case was that, unlike our hypothetical wife or husband, Samson didn’t lose his covenant symbol. He gave it away when he told Delilah his secret.

How would the wife feel if she watched her husband remove his wedding ring and give it to another woman, then go to bed with that other woman? Odds are there would be a divorce in that man’s future. And that’s pretty much what happened here.

Samson cheated on God repeatedly, and eventually went so far as to hand over the symbol of the covenant to a woman who was not only not his wife, but was almost certainly a Philistine, an enemy of God and His people.

So yes, it was about a lot more than hair.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Voting: A Christian’s Civic Responsibility

Tammy M Cardwell2 Comments

Yes, I said a CHRISTIAN’S responsibility. In truth, it’s every American’s civic responsibility; I merely specify Christians here because there are so many that have the idea we’re supposed to stay out of politics. Nothing could be further from the truth.

You can toss around the phrase “separation of church and state” if you like, but you’ll be using it out of context. No, it’s not in the constitution no matter how many people believe it is. The phrase appears one time, in a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association in which he assured them that there was a wall protecting the Church from the government – not the other way around. Doubt me? It would take maybe ten seconds to do a search and find the text.

I was going to pull in a quote here, one that is commonly attributed to Edmund Burke. In double checking the actual quote and attribution I went down a fascinating rabbit hole that ended with, “We honestly don’t know who said it.” In the meantime, I found this, which was printed in a 1895 medical bulletin, and it even more clearly says what I want to get across.

“He should not be lulled to repose by the delusion that he does no harm who takes no part in public affairs. He should know that bad men need no better opportunity than when good men look on and do nothing. He should stand to his principles even if leaders go wrong.”

BOOM!

My convictions about voting go way back to a childhood conversation. David Marion Tisdale, my grandfather and, in my opinion, one of the best men who ever lived, once told me that if a man doesn’t vote he has no right to complain about the government. Apparently, if someone started complaining to him about government related issues, his immediate question would be, “Did you vote in the election?” If the answer was “No,” the conversation was over.

Obviously, I hold certain convictions that affect the votes I cast, and I would love it if everyone voted the way I do. Here’s the deal, though. The bottom line is that I firmly believe everyone should get out and vote, period. And every Christian should get out and vote as God leads them to. If we don’t, we’re shirking our responsibility, and if we stand by and do nothing it’s our own fault when the government becomes something other than what we believe it should be.

Which, as I understand it, is exactly why many of the Amish are suddenly voting en masse. If you’re not aware, this is a history-making event. A government agency encroached on their community not long ago and many of them realized that they can no longer stand completely apart. They are choosing not to be those “good men” who “look on and do nothing.”

Do your research. Spend time in prayer over how God would have you vote – on everything, not just for President of the United States. Then get out there and take action.

There are many reasons ours is a “free country” and the power of the individual’s vote is one of them.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

One Thing About Technology

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A few days ago, I had a conversation with someone I highly respect. He’s a fantastic husband and father, an astute businessman, and is actively involved in ministry. As we talked, we somehow got on the topic of technology and how, thanks to him essentially having a computer in his hand, he can work all the time.

More to the point, he explained that he has to fight the tendency to work all the time. It’s too easy to be answering a text message and then flip over for just a minute to respond to a work email…that turns into dealing with more work emails. He said he reaches a point where he has to literally put the phone down and walk away.

There are many studies out there showing how dangerous too much screen time is for young children and how hard it can be for many preteens and teens to interact in the real world because they’ve spent years primarily communicating via their phones. However, as our conversation revealed, the problem isn’t just with them.

I’m writing a book. I’ve been talking about it for a while, but after months of struggling I’m finally back to actively writing instead of just thinking about it. How? I put the laptop away and pulled out pen and paper.

As he shared his story with me, my own experience was running through my head, because I’d found myself with the same problem. I’d sit down to write, pull up Word, and get a notification from one of my apps. Or I’d want to clarify something I was referring to, google for information, and fall down a rabbit hole. I finally realized that, if I wanted to actually get the book written, I needed to take a few steps backwards.

Years ago, I was a regular writer for a homeschool magazine, and at one point I drafted an article while on a flight to meet with my editor. When she expressed interest in seeing the draft, I said, “Let me get my notebook.” She thought I was referring to a laptop, but I literally meant an old-fashioned, spiral-bound notebook. THAT is what I’ve gone back to: Paper and pen.

That one change is making all the difference. I don’t even write most of my blog posts on the computer anymore because paper and pen are so much more powerful. And for me to even type those words is ridiculous, because I’ve been endorsing the power of pen-and-paper journaling for years. I was just a little slow applying the same principles to my regular writing. There are so many benefits!

The biggest benefit for me is that putting ink on paper slows me down. I’ve mentioned before that my thoughts tend to run at warp speed sometimes, and writing them down instead of typing them out forces me to take the time to truly consider what I’m trying to say and how best to say it. Yes, I often need to confirm references, verify quotes, or whatever, but I try to wait until I’m finished to handle anything that might get me caught in the technology trap. In the meantime, I make margin notes or highlights or have a scratch pad beside me for notes about things I need to tweak later.

Obviously, I’ll eventually head back to the computer and get it all typed up, but the tradeoff of having to do what others might consider double the work is more than fair – because now the work is actually getting done instead of being set aside in favor of technology’s snare.

That’s one thing about technology that reminds me of my years of helping homeschoolers. I would tell them, “Curriculum is a tool for you to use. Don’t let it use you.” Likewise, today, I remind myself, “Technology is a tool for you to use.”

And I’m telling us both, “Don’t let it use you.”

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Young Me’s Library

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Have you ever seen such a lame post title? Yeah, me neither.

I was just thinking, though, about reading during my childhood and early teen years. I was an avid reader from the start. There were never enough library visits and I resorted to reading anything I could get my hands on, much of which was theoretically beyond me. Reading wasn’t just a passion; it was an addiction, one that actually got me in trouble more than once.

So my greatest treasures were in my little library. My mom was a single mother for much of our childhood so, even though she and Daddy remarried before I went into 6th grade, actually owning books wasn’t a high budget priority. I had aunts, though, who knew just what I liked and occasionally slipped me books they believed I would enjoy. And I did – all of them. They were so good that I was still rereading some of them as an adult… until they were lost to mold.

I’m kind of sad my granddaughters will likely never read any of them. The books kids enjoy today are so very different. They’re not bad, or what I’ve seen aren’t. It’s just that genres and topics and tastes change.

For instance, one of my absolute favorites was my copy of Heidi, by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. It was originally written in German; I, of course, read an English translation. I loved reading about Heidi and her life with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. I loved it so much that I eventually bought Heidi Grows Up and Heidi’s Children, by Charles Tritten, and I loved and reread them too. The lifestyle represented in these books was very different from what I knew, but that was part of the charm. Regarding my oldest granddaughter… Although I’d love to give her a copy, I just don’t know, especially since she just turned fourteen.

And then there was Eight Cousins, by Louisa May Alcott. I am definitely an Alcott fan, though I’ve not read everything she wrote. I probably read Eight Cousins fifty times, and when I found out there was a sequel (Rose in Bloom) and that I could learn more about Rose Campbell, I immediately headed to the only bookstore in town and then waited because it was a special order.

Being an Alcott fan, Little Women is a no brainer. I actually have a copy of it on my Kindle and at one point I had a goal of owning every Little Women movie that was ever made. The movie goal fell through (I’d much rather read than watch), but I almost know Little Women by heart. And then, of course, when I learned about Little Men I had to have it too.

And then there is Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann David Wyss, another Swiss author. I am well aware of the scientific impossibilities the book represents and to this day I don’t care. I absolutely loved that book! What I do care about is that there are different versions of the book out there. The original copy I had is long gone, and although I’ve read a couple of others the translations seemed…off. And that’s not even addressing the issue of abridged books (which I don’t like, of course).

Finally, or last for this list anyway, one of my summer traditions was to read my grandmother’s set of Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. For years, they really were a once-a-year read, but I did eventually get a set of my own and I read them so many times. In fact, I should really get them for my kindle too. And yes, I do know her works have come under fire because of Ma’s attitude towards Native Americans, but the fact is her attitude was not uncommon at the time, and I always knew instinctively that Ma was wrong. To eliminate her prejudice would be to incorrectly present an ugly reality of the past.

And, honestly, that’s one of the reasons I like these classic books. In reading them, I learned much about what to do and what not to do. I had high standards set that I instinctively strove to reach and, yes, what I read definitely affected the growth of my character without me knowing it.

Which is another reason they were treasures I wish I could share with my grandkids.

So much has changed in the past 50 years.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Watercolor, Quilting, & Summer Projects

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Note: Yes, I know the light reflecting on the frames isn’t helpful.

If you followed my Tiny House series, you know I decided to learn watercolor and intentionally left three frames empty in my kitchen so I would have a constant reminder that I had a goal. As you can see, those frames are no longer empty.

Yes, they are clearly technical exercises rather than true art, but I’m happy with them. I’m particularly happy with the top and bottom ones and plan to eventually use that technique to try monochrome landscapes. As my skills progress, I’ll probably replace these paintings with others, but for the moment I’m satisfied and proud of myself for following through on the plan. Because, full disclosure, I am really good at failing to follow through on plans like this one.

The truly sad thing, to me, is that I actually hesitated to share this today because it’s Pride month and I didn’t want anyone to incorrectly assume the seemingly obvious. Then I realized how ridiculous I was being. The rainbow which, truly, isn’t accurately represented here since I’ve yet to figure out how to properly mix indigo, was God’s promise long before it was claimed by a special interest group. I actually chuckle every time I hear someone complain about cultural appropriation, because as I see it that’s exactly what that group did when they appropriated God’s rainbow.

But they did leave one color out, so I guess that gets around the rules?

Anyway, I’m sharing this today in part because I want my readers to know I did follow through and at least learn some watercolor basics, and…

I’m excited to share that I’m getting ready to do something else. Most of my life, I’ve wanted to learn to quilt. Ever since our church started a group specifically to make quilts for cancer patients, my desire to learn has grown even stronger. My friendship with the group’s leader has led to her becoming my enabler. I’ve begun collecting fabrics, and she’s helping me seek out the right pattern for a queen sized quilt. I have a lot to learn, I know, but I’m excited to think that one day my bed will be covered with fabric art of my own making.

My love of color is no secret around here, so this is also another way for me to indulge it and, hopefully, be able to make some awesome gifts for those I love at some point in the future. That’s what I did with my crocheting passion that picked back up during COVID. I gave crocheted blankets to just about everyone in my family. Ouch: I just remembered that one, last, blanket that has so far to go before it’s finished. Here, have another reminder of how totally imperfect I am.

My sister is an Alabama fan (Roll Tide!) and this is the closest I’ve been able to get to a true houndstooth pattern. It’s easy, but super slow and tedious, and she’s already been warned that it may end up being a rug instead of a blanket. (Where’s that laughing/crying emoji?!)

Anyway, in the midst of working on my website, trying to keep up this blog, writing my next book, reorganizing areas of my apartment, and dealing with piled papers, I’m also putting together wishlists for my soon-to-come quilting venture. I’ve picked out the sewing machine I want to use, and my quilting enabler friend has confirmed I’ve made a good choice, so it’s already on my Amazon wishlist awaiting its turn.

Yes, I still live in 220 square feet. Yes, I know this is going to take some creative use of space. That’s part of the rearranging I’ve been doing; I want to know where the sewing machine will live before I get it. But yes, although I have no dining table to work on I do have my large desk, so I’m convinced I can make it work. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even blog the learning process. I guess we’ll have to see about that.

The summer solstice may not be until later this month, but we are firmly in summer 1 here in Southeast Texas and yes, it has me in “that” mode. There’s just something about summer that restarts my creative desires. So here I am, ready once again to try new things. I hope summer is offering you several fun options too!

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

What Made the Difference? A Question About the Book of Daniel.

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I’m currently reading Amir Tsarfati’s new book Discovering Daniel, which is of course about the book of Daniel. It is proving to be every bit as good as his earlier book, Revealing Revelation, and there will be a review posted when I finish it. In the meantime, it’s got me doing a lot of thinking, and one of the paths my brain went down is demanding extra attention.

If you’re unfamiliar with the book of Daniel, the brief setup is that, because of its continual sin against God, Jerusalem was sacked and its best and brightest youth (boys, not men) were packed up and shipped back to Babylon. Well, they may very well have been forced to march those hundreds of miles, but you know what I mean.

So.
My thoughts.

All these Hebrew boys had been taken from their homes, dragged hundreds of miles to a totally new world, made eunuchs (something I can’t believe I’d never realized before), and indoctrinated into a radically different way of life. Every one of them had been completely stripped of his identity and, as far as we know, fallen into the trap that was Babylonian culture – except the four God ended up using in supernatural ways. 

What made the difference?

That’s been my question for a few days, and it’s one I’m still asking because I believe the answer is significant for us in our day and time. Why do some of our children stand strong when they get out into the new culture that is college or some other aspect of “the world” while so many others crumble? Why do people who have been attending church for years “suddenly” walk away, and not just away from church but away from God?

I see many factors at play. Clearly those we know as Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel had genuine convictions about what they had been taught all their lives, including the fact that theirs was a God they dare not fail. They had truly learned from their nation’s history, and surely understood why judgement had fallen on Jerusalem. I personally feel God had probably already done things to validate their faith, too, since that seems to be His habit with those whose hearts are true to Him. 

Regarding their steadfastness, I’ve thought of several potential contributing factors. All things considered, however, I really believe one of the biggest reasons they stayed so faithful to God was their group relationship. The Bible says a companion of fools suffers harm, and I have a feeling these four had guarded against such companionship, that for years they had been supporting each other in their faith and helping one another grow. It is clear from the book of Daniel that they continued to support each other, encouraging one another to stay strong in their faith in this new setting.

Some people like to say, “I can worship God as well on the lake as in church,” as an excuse not to be involved in church, but it can be very hard to continue serving God in a relationship vacuum. Like these four amazing boys, we need each other. That three-fold cord that can’t be broken? (Eccl. 4:9-12) You don’t find it among those who are out there floundering. You find it in companionship with other people who are “of like precious faith,” people who will build you up while you build them up. 

That is one of the big reasons these four held fast when their entire visible identity was ripped away from them and a carefully planned course of brainwashing implemented. I’m convinced of it. 

Today, we do have God living inside us, teaching us, strengthening us, guiding us, and in general making the difference, but we still need that strong connection to other believers. We must have those true relationships that help us stay strong no matter what the world throws at us. God designed us to need such fellowship, and He commanded us to seek it out regularly in Hebrews 10:25.

I’d say we don’t have a choice, but we do. We can do like the rest of those Hebrew boys did and let ourselves be molded by the world, becoming just like them and in essence unrecognizable to our God. As parents, we can let our kids do the same and watch them fall into the traps set in our universities and the other places young people hang out.

But why? Why would we?

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C