“Daniel determined that he would not defile himself by eating the king’s food or drinking his wine, so he asked the head of the palace staff to exempt him from the royal diet.” (Daniel 1:8 MSG)
Most of us have heard the Biblical story of Daniel in the lion’s den. Daniel was a Jewish captive in Babylon. He was thrown into a pit of lions for disobeying an edict against private prayer. He survived because of God’s protection over him. This made an impression on his Babylonian captors. Little did they know that Daniel had been preparing for this moment for a long time.
As a young man in the King’s court, Daniel determined he would not defile himself by eating the royal diet. He did not mind being seen as weird. He wasn’t concerned about fitting in or assimilation. He remained true to his conscience, even when that led to hardship. Daniel remained disciplined despite the pleasures available to him. He was in a pit of temptations, but he survived because of God’s protection over him.
The lessons of Daniel are especially useful in these times of confinement. Do the right thing, even when it is inconvenient. Remain true to your conscience, even when it leads to hardship. Be disciplined, despite what others are doing around you. Rely on God to protect you from the temptations that surround you.
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