Momentum: How To Ignite Your FaithSample

WHEN TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND In the spring of 1960 a young black man decided to take a stand for what he believed was right. It would forever change his life and the course of an entire African nation. Blacks were forced to live in a small area and couldn’t leave that area without a pass. So in 1960, in protest against the inequities of Apartheid, Nelson Mandela burned his pass. In 1962, Mandela was arrested and imprisoned for trying to overthrow the government. He spent twenty-seven years behind bars, but he continued the fight from his prison cell. He would later win the Nobel Peace Prize and become president of South Africa. Though they may not be as dramatic as those in Nelson Mandela’s journey, we all face moments when we have to decide whether or not we will stand up for our convictions. In the Old Testament we read about one such defining moment in the life of a young Hebrew named Daniel. Babylon had captured Jerusalem. Along with the typical spoils of war, King Nebuchadnezzar also carried back to Babylon some of Jerusalem’s brightest and best. Daniel wasn’t in Babylon long before his first conflict of faith presented itself. Being trained in the king’s palace meant eating the king’s food and drinking the king’s wine. But Daniel likely knew that this meat had also been offered to idols and he would have compromised his conviction to eat it. How could he as a teenage boy stand up to the king? What would you have done if you had been Daniel? Most of us probably would have rationalized, “It’s not worth making a big deal over.” But Daniel had a different response. In Daniel 1:8, the Bible says, “Daniel resolved not to defile himself.” Notice the word “resolved.” Daniel drew a line in the sand. A teenager taking on the great Babylonian king displays incredible courage. Daniel had no way of knowing what the consequences would be. His decision could have cost him his life. But he refused to compromise. Daniel decided in advance to be obedient and to trust God with the consequences. WHAT ABOUT YOU? So how about it? Are you clear about your convictions? Have you settled the non-negotiables of your life? Are you prepared to draw a line in the sand? Today’s Takeaway Courageous conduct flows out of clear convictions.