By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy
Panaji, Nov 28, 2019: “Brave Jewish youth survives lions’ den.” That would have been the headline if there was a newspaper during the Old Testament time.
In these days of newspapers, the Book of Daniel are reenacted as we read about the courage and composure of some teenagers — Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan, Greta Thunberg from Sweden and Nida Fatima from India.
Daniel and four others were brought to the palace of King Darius.
He soon became the king’s favorite. “God favored these boys with knowledge and intelligence in everything connected with literature, and in wisdom; while Daniel had the gift of interpreting every kind of vision and dream.” (Daniel:1:8ff)
All along they continued to worship the only one true God. No wonder he was accused of worshipping his God. King Darius trusted him yet he had to bend before the request of the ministers and sent Daniel to the den of lions.
Daniel believed his God he worshipped would be with hm. When Daniel comes out of the den safely, he touched deep the heart of King Darius, who declared the God of Daniel as true God.
It is the same Daniel who defended Susanna when the elders accused her of “meeting her lover in secret.”
Daniel was fearless, so are our modern Daniels like Nida Fathima.
Fathima is a teenage voice heard loud and clear in Kerala now. Her voice has shaken many. The 12-year-old speaks up for her schoolmate — 10- year-old Shehla Sherin — who died after a snake hiding in the classroom bit her.
Fathima has exposed the callous teachers who did not act quickly when Shehla told them a snake had bitten. One teacher dismissed the snakebite marks on her feet as wounds from nails.
Fathima led her schoolmates in a march to denounce the teachers. She continues to explain to the world outside the pathetic situation prevailing in her school.
Asked if she was not afraid of speaking about her teachers, she hesitates and says, “At first I was, because I have to return to the same school to complete my studies.”
Fathima values human life that cannot be redeemed once lost. “My father was afraid too. He reminded me that I have to return to the school, but he did not stop me,” she says.
She found support from her sisters, who encourage her stand for justice.
The young girl of Wayanad challenges me. How often have I let small and big occasions pass to stand up and speak up, for the sake of a neighbor, for the good of people in society.
It is hard to speak up. It is easier to close my eyes and pretend that I saw nothing, heard nothing.
I had heard about a cashew nuts shopkeeper in my neighborhood. He piles up sacks inside the shop as well as on the stairs. Occasionally the sacks fall and spill the nuts into the dirty passageway. The owner picks them up and packs them.
Two days ago, the same happened before my eyes. I saw the nuts spill over the path. After a while I saw the space cleared. I was curious to know what had happened to those spilled nuts. But I had no courage to ask the shopkeeper.
I see many people buy nuts from him paying exorbitant prices.
.
Then I heard a voice: “Hello bhai, where are those nuts which were fallen down here?” a woman dared to ask the staff.
They showed ignorance.
“I had seen some cashew nuts spread over this dirty path. What did you do with it?” she persisted.
“Oh,” he smiled. “That is in the bag, madam.”
“But that is all dirty. How can you sell that?”
“It has to be processed madam,” he smiled again.
Being his neighbor, I knew the nuts would be sold dirty. The health of the common man is not his concern.
Values we cultivate from childhood will help us to challenge wrongs in society as Daniel or Fatima — fearlessly and persistently but with love and concern.
When we know God is with us and we speak up for the truth. We have nothing to fear. God will stand by us.
But speaking up could cost us. Sometimes our life itself.
John the Baptist fearlessly pointed out to King Herod that he was wrong. Herod beheaded him.
Standing up for values, or speaking up the truth is something we see occasionally by our modern Daniels.
They do not fear death to stand up for truth and justice.
But many like me compromise and stay from “troubles” for fear of losing name or life.
And we hardly make any headlines.