And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king
inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
enchanters that were in all his kingdom~ Daniel 1:20
All people in all
places dream dreams of greatness. It is part of being human. It starts early. Every
little boy longs to be a superhero and what little girl hasn’t fantasized about
changing the world or becoming a princess?
As we mature our dreams evolve but we still dream. Some dream of
athletic prowess or scientific achievement. Others are enchanted by fantasies
of wealth achieved through business acumen. Some long for the prestige attained
through educational accomplishments. The particulars of our dreams may differ,
but we all dream.
Christians also dream of significance, but for
us significance has an altogether different meaning. Greatness for a believer is
focused on God rather than us. We believe that true significance is about
taking all of our abilities and talents and using them in such a way that God
says to us on the Day of Judgment:
“Well done,
good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put
you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness! ~ Matthew
25:21”
Accomplishing the goal of true Christian
significance is complicated by the times we live in. Becoming a “good and
faithful servant” demands that we live squarely within our culture so we can
affect it, change destinies, and make disciples—while at the same time managing
to live above it, so that it doesn’t affect us (John 17:15). Unfortunately, Western
culture is filled with many charms and distractions that almost beg us to dive headlong
into the fray of 21st century life.
This morning I opened my Bible to Daniel
chapter one and was struck by the similarities of the Babylonian culture to
ours. Both were powerful and steeped in the kind of excess that can entice a
person to indulge in every urge and impulse.
But somehow Daniel managed to live above the culture he was thrust into.
As I was reading, I noted that Daniel
lived purposefully in Babylon, involving himself in their society in a
significant way but never really becoming acclimated to the ways of
Babylonians. Daniel’s decision to live intentionally enabled him to impact his
culture powerfully. He successfully presented the truth of the living God to
four Pagan Kings and in the process he become the kind of man in which God confides
his plans (Psalm 25:14). Daniel did four things in Daniel chapter one that set
the stage for his success.
Fear
of the Lord was the motivating stimulus for every choice he made~ Proverbs 1:7,
Hebrews 12:28-29
Not once in Daniel chapter one does it
explicitly say that Daniel feared God, but all of his actions imply that he is
operating out of reverence for God. Fear of the Lord is one of the most
misunderstood concepts in Christianity. It’s not about feeling constant
distress or anxiety, nor is it simply respecting God. People who fear God live
life carefully. Fearing God means that we live in such a way that our actions
and words acknowledge God’s existence as well as the power He has to bring
consequences into our lives in the event that we intentionally overstep the
boundaries. Men and women who fear God hate sin and do everything within their
power to avoid premeditated sin.
He treated all people with respect and
kindness~ Colossians 4:5-6
Daniel understood that there is nothing
less attractive than a religious person stridently demanding their rights. With
God’s assistance and empowering grace Daniel managed to rise above the ugliness
of his situation, which included the horrors of abduction, castration, and
forced labor. He did this by approaching everyone he came into contact with an
attitude of respect and kindness. The
story of Daniel illustrates that there are times when believers should stand up
for their rights (especially if they happen to live in a democracy) but they
should do it in a way that is as respectful and gracious as the situation will
allow.
He used his gifts and talents to benefit people~
Hebrews 10:24
Daniel lived and worked in Babylon for 70
years, always doing his best to bring about righteousness in a hostile culture.
Daniel understood that believers are commanded to live in such a way that they
benefit any society in which they find themselves (Jeremiah 29:1-8). Daniel’s willingness to do good to those who persecuted
him earned him esteem and opportunities to speak on God’s behalf.
He intentionally distanced himself from
the excesses of the times~ 1st Corinthians 10:22-24
I do not believe that God would have
faulted Daniel for eating the food that was offered by Nebuchadnezzar; after
all, he was a captive in a foreign land and he had to eat. The word “resolved”
used in verse eight suggests that Daniel was making a mindful choice that was
not born out of guilt or fear but rather conviction that avoiding the food was
the most prudent course of action. Daniel and his friends chose to abstain from
the food because they understood that it was a symbol of a culture addicted to
extremes. They knew that if they indulged
themselves in the excesses of that culture they could easily become ensnared by
those luxuries and addicted to the extravagances. The pursuit of those luxuries
would then become the driving force in their lives. If that had happened they
would have been left powerless to impact Babylonian culture for God. Daniel 1:17
reveals that God bestowed gifts of wisdom on Daniel and his friends because of their willingness to
voluntarily abstain from the cultural excess.
~
Every Christian I know longs to hear the
words “Well done, good and faithful servant” as they enter eternity. It is not
always easy to live that kind of life, especially when the society we live in constantly
summons us to compromise our values and indulge our flesh. Daniel stands as a
model for us all. His life demonstrates that it is possible to live in a
culture of decadence and impact individuals for Christ. He truly understood the
meaning of Robert Cody’s words: “Have the courage to live as you should, anyone
can die.”
In order to live as we should, we must
live lives that exhibit a fear of God, deep concern for the health and
well-being of others and a strong willingness to place limits on personal
pleasure-seeking. I believe that as we endeavor to live like Daniel, God will
empower us as he empowered Daniel to use our gifts and talents in such a way
that will draw men and women to Himself.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him~ Colossians 3:17
No comments:
Post a Comment