Daniel: A Strong Man Is FaithfulSample

Faithful to Make Strong Choices

Daniel was given the royal treatment, though he was in captivity. He was afforded the best living situation, trained by the best teachers, and fed the best food. Or so it would seem. The first challenge Daniel encountered was what was on the menu.

While the food and drink were fit for a king, Daniel had a twofold problem with the meal plan. First, some of the meat served in the Babylonian palace was pork and venison, unclean animals according to the Mosaic Law.

Second, all food and drink was first offered sacrificially to Babylonian gods. Thus, eating that food was understood as worship of those gods.

So, in his first days, Daniel faced a real problem. He could choose to cower in captivity, breaking the Lord’s dietary laws to blend in, or he could challenge courageously. Daniel, as we see, chose the latter.

Men face predicaments like this all the time. We find ourselves in situations that urge us to compromise our biblical values. It could be that we are pressured by the agenda of a leader who opposes our faith. Or we could be alone in a compromising position where we are free to act contrary to our beliefs. Or we might feel relational pressure not to act because it might put someone else in danger.

Daniel felt all these things. He felt the pressure of an influential leader, the freedom of compromising a situation, and the urge not to act because doing so might put his friends at risk. But Daniel still made a strong choice. I believe he decided that it was better to stay on the right side of the justice of God, even if it meant suffering at the hands of the unjust.

I want to encourage you today to be more resolute in every decision you make. Start by making small, strong choices, so that when you get to the big ones, they are easier to make. Then you will know the courage of Daniel.

ASK THIS: What strong choice do you need to make today? What is your biggest hurdle—internal or external—in making the right choice?

DO THIS: Choose one small way you can follow God in your choices today, so you can be ready for bigger choices when they come.

PRAY THIS: God, win the battle for me today. It belongs to you. Amen.