Baptist City Blog

An Unorthodox Way to Promotion

Daniel 3:30

"Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon."

Being promoted is one of the most sought after things by organizations and people. Organizations want to be promoted to a higher status in the minds of people, many churches seek to be recognized nationally, and many people seek to become famous or have higher position in their jobs. However, the way to promotion will be acquired in an unorthodox way. Let me explain by telling you two stories.

The first story is about the Prophet Balaam. In Numbers 22, Balak was afraid of God's people. He heard the stories how God delivered Israel from Egypt, and he knew he would soon face these people. He sent his servants to Balaam to ask him to come and curse Israel. He promised Balaam wealth and promotion if he would come. Balaam first refused the invitation, but eventually he compromised and went to curse God's people. Through a series of God's intervention, Balaam realized the error of his way, but he still went. Once Balaam was in the presence of Balak, he blessed Israel several times to the point that Balak ran him out of town. Though Balaam thought he would get promotion and wealth through compromise, the only thing he got was the back door.

The second story is about the three Hebrew children. Nebuchadnezzar built an image and commanded that all people bow down to the image when they heard the music play. When the music started, everyone bowed down except for the three Hebrew children. Nebuchadnezzar gave these three young men another opportunity to bow down to his image, but they refused and eventually were thrown into the fiery furnace. After a few minutes, Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnaced and noticed that the Son of God had come to help deliver them from the fire. The uncompromising stand of the three Hebrew children resulted in their promotion. If they would have compromised, they would have been like everyone else.

Promotion must not be sought after. One of the differences in these two stories is one sought promotion while the others sought to do right. One coveted money while the others desired God's blessing. When you seek promotion, you will do anything to get it.

Moreover, compromise never gives promotion. You will often hear people say that if you will compromise in a few areas that you will be able to get promoted. This is a lie of the Devil! Compromise has never brought promotion, and if it does, it will change who you are and you won't like what you will become. An uncompromising stand will always cause you to stand out above the crowd. Compromise will always cause you to be like everyone else, and those who are like everyone else never get recognized.

The only way you will be promoted in whatever area you are in is to stand by your principles, even when the threat of persecution is there. You must remember that principles never change, and you must be moved by principle and not by promotion. Principles will always bring persecution, but also principles always bring promotion. Remember, according to Psalm 75:6-7, promotion comes from God. God is not going to promote someone who compromises; He is going to promote those who stand by principle.

Churches who seek to be a mega church must compromise in order to become that. The church that God blesses is the church that does right and is not worried about how big they are. He looks at the church who stands by principle, and that is the church that He promotes. Likewise, the Christian who stands by principle and never compromises is the Christian whom God will use and promote. Stop seeking promotion through compromise and seek to do right through principle. It is the latter that God will use to promote you.