Have you ever been treated unfairly or unjustly? 

Everyone has. Maybe you lost out on a promotion or weren’t accepted into a certain group of friends. Whatever the reason, it’s not fun.

But have you ever been treated unfairly because of your devotion to God? Have you ever been singled out for your faith? Maybe you were laughed at or called ‘closed-minded.’ As we live in an increasingly post-Christian world, believers will experience more and more times of unfair treatment. 

How we respond is very important.

Do you remember the story of Daniel and the lion’s den from the Old Testament? It is a great example of how to respond to unfair circumstances. As a quick recap, Daniel is being considered for the role of prime minister over the entire empire under King Darius. Some of the other leaders set out to destroy Daniels’s reputation, ‘but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him” (Daniel 6:4). Knowing Daniel’s faithfulness to God, they draft a law where no one can pray to anyone other than the king for 30 days. The king signs the law, and they were certain this would destroy him. 

Sure enough, Daniel disobeys the law and continues to pray publicly during the 30 days, and with great sorrow, the king is forced to sentence Daniel to the lion pit. In verse 16, we read that Daniel is thrown into the den. A stone lay over the mouth of the cave. But the next morning, the king saw the stone that was rolled away (verse 19). He said, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions”’ And miraculously, Daniel responds that God’s angels had protected him from harm.”.

Against all odds, Daniel survived and gives all the glory to God. The king is overjoyed, and the other leaders – the accusers –   get fed to the lions!

So what does this ancient story say to us today? 

What is the message for the believer in Jesus? 

First, remember Daniel’s example of living above reproach. Make it hard for those not in Christ to find fault in how you live your life. Take your call seriously to be a witness in our present secular world. 

And remember, the world hates Jesus and will take it out on the followers of Jesus. If that happens to you, humbly wear that charge with honor. 

Finally, no matter how unfair or unjust the world may treat us, we will always have victory in Jesus!

Taken from a sermon by Bryant Wright, Founder, RFTH