When I was learning how to drive, my father took me out in the family car and taught me how to steer, control the brakes, turn, park, and pass. He was very careful and spent lots of time telling me about the rules of driving.

One rule he stressed from the very beginning was that when I saw a red light, it meant that I had to stop. Red means stop; green means go. That's one of the basic rules of the road. Everyone knows it and everyone is supposed to follow it.

As I studied my manual for my driver's license test, I was reminded of the same rule. A driver must stop at a red light. To fail to stop would mean that I could get a ticket. But even more importantly, it would endanger someone and there could be a car accident.

If I was driving with friends and they dared me or if they told me to forget the red light and to keep driving, I was to ignore them. The rules of the road came first.

Can you ever think of a time when someone should disobey the rules of the road? Is there any higher authority than the rule?

After I passed my driving test, I got my license which allowed me to drive. Passing my test did not mean that I could forget the rules of the road, it meant that from now on I had to follow them.

One day, while driving, I could see flashing red lights in the distance ahead. There were lots of cars around and traffic was backed up. I was part of a long line of cars which approached the scene. As I got closer, I could see an accident on the side of the road. Police cars were there directing traffic. As I got closer, I could see that the traffic light was red. I began to stop. But as I began to stop, the police officers signalled me to keep moving.

The light was red which meant stop. The policeman's hand was waving me on which meant go. Which was I to do?

Can you think of anything in your life where people tell you something which does not agree with something which God tells you?

Whom was I to obey? The rule book or the policeman who enforces the rule book? You know what I did! I followed the orders of the policeman and kept driving. I went through the red light without stopping. Was I breaking the law? Did he give me a ticket? The law had authority to give me a ticket, but at the moment in time, the policeman had greater authority to make me obey him.

Daniel down in Babylon was told to obey the rules of Babylon. But there was some else whom Daniel knew he had to obey. He must obey God. God's word was more important than the rules of Babylon.

Who's word do you think is more important? The message of the world around you which tells you to forget about eternal life and God, or the message of God which commands you to repent and believe the gospel?

Just as Daniel recognized a higher authority than Babylon, so you will have to recognize that the Word of God is the highest authority for your life. You will have to listen to it and not what people say if you are to be saved.

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