妥协──是否对呢？
但以理书三章8至18节
8那时，有几个迦勒底人进前来控告犹大人。
9他们对尼布甲尼撒王说：愿王万岁！
10王啊，你曾降旨说，凡听见角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟、笙，和各样乐器声音的都当俯伏敬拜金像。
11凡不俯伏敬拜的，必扔在烈火的窑中。
12现在有几个犹大人，就是王所派管理巴比伦省事务的沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌；王啊，这些人不理你，不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像。
13当时，尼布甲尼撒冲冲大怒，吩咐人把沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌带过来，他们就把那些人带到王面前。
14尼布甲尼撒问他们说：沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌，你们不事奉我的神，也不敬拜我所立的金像，是故意的么？
15你们再听见角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟、笙，和各样乐器的声音，若俯伏敬拜我所造的像，却还可以；若不敬拜，必立时扔在烈火的窑中，有何神能救你们脱离我手呢？
16沙得拉、米煞、亚伯尼歌对王说：尼布甲尼撒啊，这件事我们不必回答你；
17即便如此，我们所事奉的神能将我们从烈火的窑中救出来。王啊，他也必救我们脱离你的手；
18即或不然，王啊，你当知道我们决不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像。
信息分享
我们的生活模式、衣着风格或举止行为，很容易受朋辈影响。许多时候，我们都会抱着「所有人都这样做」的心态，来解释自己的做法是合理的。然而，随从大众是否永远是对的呢？
今天的经文便告诉我们，有三位犹太人的信徒竟敢独排众议，在金像的开光礼上，当音乐奏起，所有人都连忙跪下之际，他们却宁死不跪。他们屹立在人海之中，仿佛三株挺拔的棕榈树坚立在荒芜的沙漠上一样。
当尼布甲尼撒王得悉三人不听从命令跪拜金像，当然是勃然大怒。不过，他仍然愿意给他们一个最后机会去跪拜金像，要是他们依然顽梗，就得面对严峻的酷刑。
此刻，这三位年轻人面对一个妥协的机会。他们大可以说：「王既然亲自要求我们，我们就姑且顺从他吧！他一直对我们不薄。嗯，我们也许应该听从王令，所有人都依从了，我们还坚持甚么，我们终归要为到自己的前途着想吧。」
然而，他们却没有妥协，他们斩钉截铁地一口拒绝。他们大概说了以下一番话：「不需要再花时间去考虑了，我们已经决定不拜金像。我们信奉的神已经明言，我们只可敬拜祂，因为祂是独一的真神。所以，即使我们要死，我们也决不会跪拜金像。我们相信神有能力拯救我们，但即使祂不救我们脱离死亡，我们仍然坚持决定，不拜金像。」
我们知道，王立即命人把他们三人丢进烈焰的火窰里，但随即有一件神迹发生（24、25节）。耶稣基督亲自来到火窰里面，与他们同在；而且，纵然火光熊熊，但他们连头发也没有烧焦（27节）。
在场的人一定看得目瞪口呆，无法相信眼前的神迹。后来，连王本人也得承认这三位年轻人所相信的神，是一个伟大的神。我们能否同样在困难中坚守立场，让神得着最终的荣耀呢？拯救他们的救主，此刻，也正与我们同在。无论我们在任何境况，都求主帮助吧！祂必日日与你同在，你只管信靠祂，祂是大能的拯救者。
反思：神曾经说过：「我必不撇下你，也不丢弃你。」（书一5）
COMPROMISE - IS IT EVER RIGHT?
Daniel 3:8-18
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews.
9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!
10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image;
11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?
15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.
18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Message
Our reading today is the story of how three believers did the opposite of everyone else. On the dedication day for Nebuchadnezzar's huge golden image, three Jewish men remained standing while thousands and thousands of others knelt as the music began. The three believers stood out like three palm trees in a barren desert.
Nebuchadnezzar reacted furiously to their disobedience, yet he gave them one more opportunity to bow down to the image, or else face the consequences.
It was a compromising situation which faced the three young men. It would have been easy to say, "This is the king who is asking us. He's been very good to us. Perhaps we ought to do what he asks. Everyone else has. We need to think about our future too."
However, they refused again, plainly and bluntly. Paraphrasing their answer, they said, "We don't need time to think about it, we have already made up our minds. God has said we must worship Him and Him alone, even if it means death for us. We also believe God can save us from being burned to death. Even if He doesn't, our answer is still the same - NO".
You know what happened next. Something unexpected took place (vv.24-25). Jesus Christ came and stood with them in the incredible heat of the furnace and not even their hair was singed! (v.27).
What a testimony it was to those watching! Even the king acknowledged the greatness of the young men's God. Can we bring the same glory to God? The same Saviour will always be with us, no matter what our circumstances are. Ask Him for his help today. He will be with you in whatever circumstances you may find yourself in today or any day. Trust Him. He is able.
GOD HAS SAID, "NEVER WILL I LEAVE YOU. NEVER WILL I FORSAKE YOU." (Joshua 1:5)