Good-looking. Young. Smart.

Worldly, evil, Nebuchadnezzar set his sights on these. He endeavored to teach them the ways of his world so they might serve him well.

For three years, they would be given the best of the best of the king’s delicacies and wine.

But Daniel.

He purposed in his heart not to defile himself. (Dan 1:8)

Though the kings food surely looked and smelled incredibly good, Daniel resisted because he knew it was unclean for it would have been sacrificed to idols in that pagan culture.

But look what happened!

Daniel stepped out in obedience, and the Lord blessed him.

The Lord gave Daniel favor with the chief of the eunuchs who accepted Daniels‘ request for he and his three friends to abstain from the king’s delicacies and only have vegetables and water for ten days as a test of sorts.

Daniel asked the chief eunuch to compare their appearance to those who ate of the king’s delicacies and afterwords, they looked so much better that the eunuch put everyone on Daniel’s diet.

So here’s the deal— when we endeavor to follow God we impact others.

When we “give up” the things of this world that aren’t good for us, we are blessed but others take notice too.

Daniel’s food choices may seem like a small thing but “ “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” Luke 16:10

It’s also true, that as we compromise with the world, it’s a slippery and dangerous slope.

John Wesley famously said, “What one generation tolerates, the next generation embraces.” And we know it’s true. We are seeing it all around us in this world.

Oh friend, let’s be Daniels in this world. But to do that, it starts with the choices, the seemingly small things, we choose for ourselves and our families.

Let’s be different. Let’s be brave and endeavor to live holy lives because our Lord is holy and that’s where REAL HOPE is found. (1 Peter 1:16)

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (1Peter 1:13-21)

Our small choices to do the right thing lead to blessing and are just one more way we trust God more than we trust ourselves.

readdaniel

ReadTheWord