April 2023
by Denisha Quarles

What do you believe, and what does your belief look like?

The other day, I decided to pack up my Bible to prepare for service at one of my favorite local restaurants. I frequently visit this restaurant, and in doing so, I've developed a wonderful friendship with one of the servers. Toward the end of my dinner, she asked if I had completed my preparation; I responded yes, but then I felt the sudden urge to share what the Holy Spirit had given me. The message was: what do you believe, and what does your belief look like? And to my surprise, she began to testify about a well-known Pastor and First Lady that frequently patrons the restaurant. Her report of these Believers grieved my heart as she told me that everyone in the restaurant doesn't like to serve them because they are rude and nasty and, if she hadn't attended their church, she wouldn't have guessed they were even Christians. Their belief had a look that did not reflect the love or character of God. But here's the worst part: she changed her schedule to stop working on Sundays because these Believers disgusted (her choice of word) her to the point she needed and wanted to avoid them. 

In Matthew 5:16, Jesus gives us the command of how our belief should look to others; He says, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and recognize and honor and glorify your Father who is in heaven. [Amplified Version]". I was determined to find examples in scripture of what this looks like in action and began studying the book of Daniel, specifically chapters 1-6. These scriptures testify to the humbling of kings all because four men: Daniel (Beltshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abed-nego), Israelites from the tribe of Judah, let their light shine. I encourage you to read it for yourself, but for the sake of this newsletter, let's look at Chapter 3

The king, Nebuchadnezzar, made a golden image (idol) which he then decreed to be worshipped anytime the people heard the sounds of the royal instruments and music, and anyone who did not follow the command would be thrown into a fiery furnace. And it came a time the music sounded, and the nations and people worshipped the idol. Now Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon by the king in Chapter 2; the Chaldeans went to the king to accuse them of not worshipping the idol, which greatly angered the king, and he requested them to stand before him for judgment. Then the king questioned them regarding the truth of the accusations and gave them a chance to worship the idol to spare their lives because he believed there was none (neither person nor gods) that could save them. The Israelite men stood firm in their belief and assured the king that they would not worship the idol and testified to the sovereignty of their God (the one true God, the God of Israel) regarding their lives. Because of this, the king kept his word; he bound the men, increased the temperature of the furnace (which resulted in the death of the men who bound them), and threw them in. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar was astonished as he took notice of a fourth man with the appearance of the Son of God walking in the fire alongside Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and they all were unharmed. Nebuchadnezzar called them out of the furnace, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth of the midst of the fire with the princes, governors, captains, and counselors witnessing that the fire had no power over their bodies, hair, or articles of clothing nor was the smell of fire on them. So, Nebuchadnezzar blessed the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who delivered them because they believed in Him and did not serve nor worship any god except their own. Therefore the king made a new decree that would forbid speaking against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego because he understood there is no other God like theirs. 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's beliefs looked like trust, faithful expectation, reverence, and honor to their God. Their belief impacted nations and kings. Family, let us remember that the encounters people have with us bear witness to our Father in Heaven, and when we don't represent Him correctly nor show our faith in Him, how do we expect others to believe? So, today, I want you to examine yourself and ask yourself: what is my belief, and what does it look like to me and others?

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