Are you a disciple or part of the crowd?

I have been struck by the above question as I have been reading and pondering on the lives of Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael in the book of Daniel. 

From the moment we meet these guys, as teenage boys, exiles in a foreign land, they have demonstrated dedication in being disciples of God. Despite the fact that they had experienced; the loss of their home, culture, lifestyle, family, and traditions, they kept following God. Even when the rest of those exiled with them, and the community surrounding them were doing otherwise. 

These four lads were not the only Jewish boys captured and brought to Babylon to be trained and educated in Babylonian life, there were others. There were other exiles, also in a similar life stage, with equable background, upbringing and lifestyle, yet these four young men continued to stand for the faith they had despite the fact that everything else in their life had change. These four recognised that even if everything else changed, God didn’t. 

They expressed this in the everyday decisions they had to make. In making their own decisions despite what the prevailing culture taught and demonstrated, in spite of what their peers were doing, or what was expected of them. We see this from the very start when they are faced with the array of food offered to them - the very same food that the king ate, and the same wine the king drank. I am sure most of the crowd were kind of excited by this prospect - the opportunity to see and taste foods they never dreamed of, even food that would not be allowed as part of their jewish heritage. As they were no longer in their own country though, did the rules still apply? even more poignant - did they want to follow them anyway as they were away from their religious leaders and their parents? These teenager boys could make their own decisions and exercise the freedom that this exile-life allowed even in the simple matters of what to eat, and who wouldn’t want to eat like a king?!

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. They did not want to eat like kings. Well, they probably did, but they chose not to. Why? Because the Law told them that certain foods were unclean and not for eating, and in this Babylonian culture - how could you tell what was what? Which meats are acceptable and which aren’t? So these four dedicated disciples made a radical decision. They chose to avoid meat altogether, they requested to eat only vegetables and drink only water. How many teenagers do you know that would choose that kind of diet?

They did it because they wanted to honour God first. Above their own desires, the expectations and peer pressure. It could not have been easy for them. Can you imagine the taunting? The name calling, the tempting that must have gone on amongst the crowd of lads eating what they liked? 

The crowd were comfortable and content, eating as they liked, amongst their peers doing as expected.  Daniel and his friends were the odd ones out, living sacrificially, surrounded by temptation and teasing. 

Yet, is the aim of life to be comfortable? Is that the aim of yours? The crowd lead us to be satisfied with ourselves and accepting of one another. There’s comradeship, support and guidance. The same is true for the few disciples as well though. The question really is though - where are the crowd or the disciples leading us? 

Disciples lead us to God, the crowd lead us away. 

Jesus tells us the following in Matthew 7:13-14, ‘the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. *14*For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.’

If you are following the crowd, it may seem comfortable and satisfying, but do you realise that they are the many going through the wide gate to destruction? The few, the disciples, following God are searching for that narrow gate because they know that way they will find life. It is not easy, but isn’t it worth it?

Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael sought the narrow way. They did not go along with the crowd, but searched for the narrow way - we can see that throughout the accounts in the book Daniel about how they pressed into God and away from the crowd. They stuck together in their community of believers and followers of God, even through fire, death threats and persecution. The disciples of Jesus did the same.

The 12 disciples of Jesus gave up; businesses, family, lifestyle, riches, security and comfort in order to follow him. They gave up everything in their life to get close to Jesus. They were invited to be up close and personal to God himself and they chose to do it rather than be part of the ever increasing crowd. As a result, they saw; Jesus walk in water, loaves and fishes feeding thousands, demons fleeing and many healings. They saw these things first-hand because they placed themselves in close proximity to Jesus by the everyday decisions they made. The crowd heard of these stories, but they weren’t there when Jesus calmed the storm or walked on water. They didn’t hear first-hand the conversations. The disciples did. Just like in Daniel, the few got to see God in action. 

Where do you want to be? 

Are you content and comfortable in the crowd? Or are you ready and yearning to be a disciple?

It is in the everyday decisions that we can show where we are. In; how you speak to others, who you spend time with, how you manage the school/work resources, how you deal with finances, if you just go along with everyone else just because that is what everyone else is doing. Everyday you get to show where you; in the crowd or amongst the disciples.

Whichever option you choose, there’s a cost. 

Being part of the crowd may be self-satisfying, comfortable and easier, but it leads to estrangement from God and destruction

Being a disciple will mean hardship, being in the minority, estrangement from peers, but closeness to God and life. 

So, what are you going to choose today? Are you part of the crowd or a disciple?