Daniel is an interesting person in the Bible because Daniel defies so much of our conventional thinking and yet Daniel is often one of the major Old Testament figures who we look to as an example for how we should live our lives. I mean why not? Daniel has inspired Christians to get educated, get faithful, and even get fit. Daniel was awesome in so many ways so of course we would all want to be like Daniel.
But do we really? I mean Daniel had to endure plots to kill him. He was thrown into the Lions den. His friends are thrown into a pit of fire. He has to explain to the king, the one who could (and tried) to kill him at any time, that he would have to spend several years living like an animal, exiled from his kingdom, eating grass on his hands and knees. Do we really want to be like Daniel?
But the thing that defines Daniel and makes wonder if we really want to be like Daniel? Is his insistence on being different and being counter cultural. Daniel refused to blend into the crowd. Daniel was a follower of God and everyone knew it. And yes, he was not popular among everyone, some were jealous of him, some didn’t like him because he challenged the status quo. But Daniel was different and he stood up as one different and in this he was faithful to God.
Daniel wouldn’t eat the same food as everyone else because he wanted to remain holy. When it became law that the only one who could be prayed to was the king, Daniel defied the law risking his very life. When the king erected a statue that was to be bowed down to Daniel and his friends refused to bow down to the statue. On top of that Daniel spoke out freely and loudly as he was led to speak by God. This led him to having to share some hard truths with important people.
Why was Daniel able to do this? He had faith in God that God would protect him and make a way for him. God did protect him and make a way for him. Daniel never had a plan to climb the royal ladder and become a leader. His actions were not done in order to gain the favour of man. That was God’s plan for Daniel. Daniel was not trying to win the favour of men. Daniel did all that he did simply because he wanted to remain true to God.
Just recently I read about one of the largest Churches in the world being signed with a major record company and it got me thinking. Daniel became famous in Babylon and Persia. If he were living today would Daniel have signed on to a promotion agency? Would Daniel have hired a Hollywood agent welcomed movies made about him, gone on an international promotional tour, sold t-shirts and bumper stickers. Imagine what a Hollywood agent would say if Daniel said to him “Yeah, I’m thinking about going a telling the king that he’s going to lose his mind and live like an animal”. Daniel’s example for us is that we don’t have to try to win the favour of men. If we are faithful to God and if we are looking always to the favour of God, then like Daniel we will make God known (not ourselves) and we will lift up the name of God and not our own.
Take a look at what Daniel did in the lion’s den. Now Daniel could have saved his life by fitting into the culture and hiding his prayer life better. He got thrown into the lions’ den. He lost favour with the king and was about to loose his life. God sent his angels to rescue Daniel. When Daniel was pulled out did the king say “Oh Daniel you are so great!”? No, he said “your God is great”.
So Daniels best example is this; To remain true to God, win God’s favour and do his work knowing full well that it may just land you in the den of lions, but holding on to the love and faithfulness of God.
But do we really? I mean Daniel had to endure plots to kill him. He was thrown into the Lions den. His friends are thrown into a pit of fire. He has to explain to the king, the one who could (and tried) to kill him at any time, that he would have to spend several years living like an animal, exiled from his kingdom, eating grass on his hands and knees. Do we really want to be like Daniel?
But the thing that defines Daniel and makes wonder if we really want to be like Daniel? Is his insistence on being different and being counter cultural. Daniel refused to blend into the crowd. Daniel was a follower of God and everyone knew it. And yes, he was not popular among everyone, some were jealous of him, some didn’t like him because he challenged the status quo. But Daniel was different and he stood up as one different and in this he was faithful to God.
Daniel wouldn’t eat the same food as everyone else because he wanted to remain holy. When it became law that the only one who could be prayed to was the king, Daniel defied the law risking his very life. When the king erected a statue that was to be bowed down to Daniel and his friends refused to bow down to the statue. On top of that Daniel spoke out freely and loudly as he was led to speak by God. This led him to having to share some hard truths with important people.
Why was Daniel able to do this? He had faith in God that God would protect him and make a way for him. God did protect him and make a way for him. Daniel never had a plan to climb the royal ladder and become a leader. His actions were not done in order to gain the favour of man. That was God’s plan for Daniel. Daniel was not trying to win the favour of men. Daniel did all that he did simply because he wanted to remain true to God.
Just recently I read about one of the largest Churches in the world being signed with a major record company and it got me thinking. Daniel became famous in Babylon and Persia. If he were living today would Daniel have signed on to a promotion agency? Would Daniel have hired a Hollywood agent welcomed movies made about him, gone on an international promotional tour, sold t-shirts and bumper stickers. Imagine what a Hollywood agent would say if Daniel said to him “Yeah, I’m thinking about going a telling the king that he’s going to lose his mind and live like an animal”. Daniel’s example for us is that we don’t have to try to win the favour of men. If we are faithful to God and if we are looking always to the favour of God, then like Daniel we will make God known (not ourselves) and we will lift up the name of God and not our own.
Take a look at what Daniel did in the lion’s den. Now Daniel could have saved his life by fitting into the culture and hiding his prayer life better. He got thrown into the lions’ den. He lost favour with the king and was about to loose his life. God sent his angels to rescue Daniel. When Daniel was pulled out did the king say “Oh Daniel you are so great!”? No, he said “your God is great”.
So Daniels best example is this; To remain true to God, win God’s favour and do his work knowing full well that it may just land you in the den of lions, but holding on to the love and faithfulness of God.