“Anyone who ever did anything worth doing was a trouble maker. Steve Jobs – trouble maker. Albert Einstein – trouble maker. Emelia Eckhart – trouble maker. It’s alright to be a trouble maker and break free from the status quo.”
– Anon. (Someone’s Facebook status)
I sat in a church I had never been to amongst people that I had never met, contemplating all of the things that were happening in my life.
I needed the company of people who believed the same as me, I needed the uplifting worship and, most importantly, I needed the words that were going to be preached from that podium. So many things were changing really fast that I hardly had any time to come to grips with anything. I was experiencing a jump into all that I had ever wanted but at the same time, didn’t know how to handle it.
“If you could a spend a day with anyone in history, who would you spend it with?” said the person preaching. They went on to explain that, in their experience, they were always asked that question in interviews. It was one of those senseless questions that meant nothing but somehow told the interviewer something important (or not) about the person that they were interviewing.
“Steve Jobs. Emelia Eckhart. Muhad Mahghandi. Julius Caesar. Hitler. Jesus…”
The list could go on and on, always highlighting the people who changed the proverbial game forever by walking in the opposite direction to society, making the tough decisions and committing to them.
I’ve been encouraged by the following while looking at the story of four young men that were documented in the biblical book of Daniel:
1. Game changers are obedient to God in all areas, finding favour with God and man
“Although the king ate only the finest Babylonian fare, Daniel was determined not to violate God’s law and defile himself by eating the food and drinking the wine that came from the king’s table; so he asked the chief of the royal eunuchs for permission not to eat the food. Now God had given Daniel special favour and fondness in the eyes of the kings chief eunuch.” – Daniel 1:8-9
At this time Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had just been seized by king Nebuchadnezzar and deported to Babylon after their nation had been conquered. They were amongst some of the wisest, most handsome guys in the land. When they arrived in Babylon they were supposed to just get on and change how they did things to the Babylonian way of life but they decided that if they did that, it would go against their belief in God. They found favour with the person in charge of them and asked to be given a diet of vegetables and water. God honoured them, and they found that they performed much better than any of the other young men under the king’s watch – they were stronger, wiser and just better!
2. Game changers put their faith in God, leading to promotion for them and others
The book of Daniel (3:16, 27-30) shares the story of these amazing young men refusing to worship any other gods when the king of that time demanded that they all do it at a certain time. They did not strike, make a huge noise, or throw their toys out of the cot. All they did was quietly retreat to pray the God that they knew as the one true God! They were found out and were sent to the furnace, where they not only survived, but not a single hair on their head was scorched, plus they didn’t even smell of fire! This led to the proclamation by the king that their God was the true God, and subsequently a decree that the whole nation must worship the true God.
3. Game changers trust God to intervene and He never disappoints
In Daniel 6 we read about Daniel being thrown into the lions’ den because of a decree that was put into place by the king in power and some other power hungry men. Again, Daniel trusted God to intervene. God did not disappoint! Daniel didn’t change what he believed because of the circumstance or the consequence.
4. Game changers are willing to do what the rest of the world isn’t willing to do
Today, thousands of years later, we read about the legacy left by these brave young men willing to risk everything for who they believed in. The thing that I love most about the story of Daniel is the fact that Daniel (as well as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) wasn’t some small-time guy. This guy had the ear and the heart of three different Babylonian kings at different times. He was well versed in the knowledge, magic, and languages of the kingdom – but the difference was that he was clearly led by God, submitted to God’s guidance, and readily spoke out!
“It shouldn’t be easy to be amazing. Then everything would be. It’s the things that you fight for and struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth. When something is difficult to come by, you’ll do that much more to make sure it’s even harder – or important to loose.” – Sarah Dessen, Along For The Ride
I really just felt to encourage those who are in the doing stage of doing something that is changing the game! It is in the doing stage that one almost always realises that they won’t always be liked, appreciated, or supported, or be perfect or full of understanding. It is in the doing stage that one has the opportunity to hold on tight or let go of their relationship with Jesus, and I am encouraging you that if you find yourself in a compromising position – hold on! Trust God to intervene when you are willing to do what the rest of the world isn’t willing to do.
If you do not have a relationship with Jesus and are interested in knowing a bit more, I encourage you to click on the banner below! He was the greatest-game changer of all time – the only one who changed the game and left a legacy that was purely about others!