Why?

2011 Orchid Display, Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond, VA

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105

Those of you readers who have stuck with me through the last few days of perusing the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream might be wondering why I would spend so much time talking about an ancient king.  This is a blog – not a Bible study, per se.  I am sure that you would never imagine that my inspiration came from the headlines regarding a certain Hollywood actor, and a Sunday School class full of children.

In a culture running amok with giant egos, the aforementioned actor rises as the epitome of cultivated self-interest.  Criticized by his network for his out-of-control lifestyle, he publicly trounced the network, the producers, and the directors of his hit show while simultaneously promoting his superior worth in the grand scheme of his particular show and the rest of the peons he worked with (i.e., tolerated). He implied that there are no rules that apply to him. Finally, he challenged his critics to put their money where their mouth was, and fire him, if they thought they could do it.  Low and behold, they did.  Now he is crying to anyone who will listen to him, full of self-promotion and grand schemes of better vehicles for his massive talent.

Last Sunday, I taught the music section of our Sunday School rotation.  The lessons for this month are on… Daniel.  Chapter 3, to be exact.  To understand the issues behind the story in chapter 3, however, you have to look at chapter 2:  the king’s dream of the gigantic statue.  Daniel shared with Nebuchadnezzar the flow of political history starting with him – as the head of gold.  Unfortunately, the king was much like our Hollywood friend – full of himself and the greatness of his empire.  He, too, decided to forehand a challenge smack in the face of the One who was “in control.”  The actor’s nemesis was a television network; Nebuchadnezzar’s was God.