BIBLICAL CHARACTER OF A YOUTH ( PART 7 )
( THE THREE HEBREW BOYS - Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah )
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, ..." - Romans 15:4
The three Hebrew boys l have chosen to talk about today were companions of Daniel, the man after whom "The book of Daniel" was named. Though the prince of the eunuchs changed their names compulsorily from Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah to "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego", respectively (Daniel 1:7), it did nothing to change their convictions about Jehovah-God. As youths, there is so much to learn about the character of these three Hebrew boys who lived for Jesus in such an ungodly country like Babylon.
(1) One character worthy of emulation regarding the three Hebrew boys is that though they were captives in Babylon, far from Jerusalem, and in the absence of their parents and/or guardians, they kept steadfastly to the tenets of their upbringing. On the contrary today, youths who had good Christian backgrounds mess up on campuses and places of employment, living lives that are shameful and despicable, contrary to their upbringing. One truth that ran through the minds of these Hebrew boys was that God was watching them (2 Chron 16:9; Prov 15:3), even in Babylon. Are you a youth living far away from parental or church supervision? How do you live your life in their absence? No matter where you may find yourself as a youth, let your inner Christian convictions reign supreme over the prevailing circumstances of that location of yours.
Campuses today are a terrible place to live in, with the gruesome menace of cultism reigning prominently over the place. One sure thing that helped the three Hebrew boys in Babylon was that they had good Christian backgrounds or upbringing! "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it " (Proverbs 22:6)
Notwithstanding, and ironically, there are reports of children of Pastors, Deacons, Elders, Catechists, Sunday School teachers, Men leaders, WM leaders, and Christians in good standing, who throw to the dogs the good christian upbringing they received from home and church, to live wayward lives on campuses and places of employment. What a shame! They forget who they ought to fear the more: GOD who is everywhere beholding the affairs of men and rewarding them accordingly (2Chron 16:9)
My counsel to youths hoping to live on campus has always been that once they step on campus, they immediately should identify with Christian student's fellowship of their denomination or any other if the first option is not available. This serves to keep aglow the christian values that have been inculcated in them from home and church. Besides, l believe strongly that once a youth is identified on campus by all and sundry as a "bible carrying" and a "fellowship maniac" youth, even the "godfather" of cultists will find such a youth repulsive and one to be avoided.
Have a beautiful day.
WATCH OUT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THIS MESSAGE.
PRAYER:
Father, help me to maintain my integrity at all times and places, in Jesus name, amen.