“It Takes A Village”

 

BIBLE READING: Daniel 3-4


“It takes a village to raise a child”

            The intent of this African Proverb means that it takes an entire community of people to help raise its children to be a productive member in their environment.  Although its origin is unknown, its meaning has reached much farther than its original intent; such is the case with our reading today.  In Daniel 3, we find King Nebuchadnezzar at the apex of his Babylonian Empire.  In his pride he constructs a golden statue of himself.  Whether or not he realized that in erecting such a statue, he was fulfilling Daniel’s prophecy.  Nevertheless, the king issued a decree that when the special music was being played, the residents of Babylon were to bow down and pay homage to this statue.  Failure to do so, resulted in being tossed into a furnace and burned alive.  Of course, we know that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three of the Jews that were taken from Jerusalem during Nebuchadnezzar seize, refused to follow the king’s command.  Upon doing so, these men were tossed into the fiery furnace to die.  However, death was not in God’s plan for these three men.  In fact, when Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, he saw not three people, but four.  The fourth figure he described as the “son of the gods”.  The king quickly orders the men to be removed and issues a new decree for anyone who did not bow down to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  If only for a few moments, the King of Babylon had acknowledged that Jehovah was God Most High. 

            It does not take long before King Nebuchadnezzar declares his belief in Jehovah, he is overcome with pride and exalts himself because of his accomplishments.  In his exaltation, God uses this as an opportunity to teach him a lesson by humiliating him.  Daniel 5 describes him like a beast with hair as long as feathers and nails as long as claws, eating grass like an ox would in the field.  After a period of time, God saw fit to restore him again to his kingdom using his prophet Daniel.  The last thing we read of King Nebuchadnezzar is this statement, “…I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” (Daniel 4.37).

            So…what does this African proverb have to do with these stories?  God did not just use one to reveal Himself to Nebuchadnezzar, He used all four of these Godly men to make a difference.  Yes… every person is valuable and can have an impact in someone’s life, but God wants us to use all the resources we have at our disposal to reach the lost.  Paul says it this way, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (I Corinthians 3.6-7).  If as individuals we do our part in planting the seed, He will send others to water.  Ultimately God will give the increase and get the glory.                                                                                                         MH

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