A Small Christian’s Big Decision

Hero worship has been long with this world, though not approved by the Bible. It shows that worship is properly given only to Jehovah God and his royal Son, Christ Jesus. (Rom. 14:11; Eph. 3:14; Phil. 2:10, 11) It shows that the Christian must neither bow to images nor make images of even such good men as the apostles. (Ex. 20:3-5; Acts 10:26) Bowing, even to kings, cannot be justified by saying they represent the government. The three Hebrews received God’s blessing for not bowing before what was also an image of the government.—Dan. 3:1-30.

Recently this issue produced a big problem for a little 7-year-old Christian named Doreen in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was selected out of 10,000 students to present flowers to Princess Elizabeth. Thrilled over the honor and the large picture of her in a Vancouver newspaper, Doreen’s spirits were dampened when she learned that she must bow to the princess in violation of God’s instructions. Permitted by her parents to make up her own mind on the matter, she first decided the honor was too great to give up, then reconsidered and told the school authorities that Christ was her King and that she could not bow to creatures.

A Vancouver newspaper (the Daily Province) confused the matter, saying first that her refusal was “because she became frightened”, then that she had “probably been influenced by the family’s religious views”, and finally that it was a disturbing surprise to the school officials. Most certainly Doreen’s parents can rejoice to see their daughter turn down false worldly honors to obey her everlasting Father, Jehovah God. In doing so she set an example that all Christians can well follow.