The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their collective survival of a fiery furnace is among the most well-known Bible stories – even among non-Christians. Refusing to bow down before idols, the three men were cast by King Nebuchadnezzar into a fiery pit, as punishment for their insubordination. They never faltered. Because of their faith, God spared them from the consequences, and King Nebuchadnezzar was changed forever.
Fast forward to today. As millions are pressured and shamed into publicly supporting an anti-Christian Marxist organization, Black Lives Matter, that seeks to undermine the institutions and faiths that have made America great, one man remained standing, refusing to bow before a media-created idol.
San Francisco Giants Pitcher Sam Coonrod had a simple rebuttal when asked why he didn’t bow down and kneel before the BLM organization: “I’m just a Christian. I believe I can’t kneel before anything but God, Jesus Christ.”
In one fell swoop, Coonrod stood up for his faith and exercised his First Amendment rights. Unsurprisingly, the media is roasting him for it. And frankly, in today’s cancel culture, he’s risking everything.
Making the cut in Major League Baseball is hard enough – maintaining a roster spot on a team in the middle of liberal San Francisco as a principled Christian may be next to impossible – especially given that his team’s manager has been an outspoken supporter of the BLM movement.
Still, Coonrod stood strong in his criticism of the BLM organization: “…they lean toward Marxism and they’ve said some negative things about the nuclear family,” said Coonrod, “I just can’t get on board with that.”
In a world consumed by bad news, it’s refreshing to see a bold testimony from someone in one of the most hostile-to-Christian areas of the country. Coonrod undoubtedly knows he has a lot to lose, yet he chose to remain standing for his faith – knowing that it may cost him his career, dream, and status, and bring unbridled criticism upon him and his family.
In a world where too many people cave to the smallest amount of political peer pressure, we need more bold leaders and organizations who will stand up and speak truth. FPIW will soon introduce a bold Christian policy agenda that addresses racism, inequity, and family based on Christianity and truth — not Marxism, identity politics and promotion of sin. Stay tuned!
