Strong Under Pressure: Wisdom From the Book of DanielНамуна

Becoming a Beacon of Light

When you think of Daniel in the Bible, what’s the first story that comes to mind? Or maybe what’s the first animal that comes to mind? Chances are, if you’ve heard anything about Daniel before this Bible Plan, it probably has to do with his run-in with a cave full of hungry lions.

Let’s set the scene: Remember Babylon? Well, that massive empire that defeated Daniel’s people and abducted him and his friends is already gone, defeated by the Persians.

There’s a new king in town, and he seems to like and respect Daniel. In fact, when King Darius reorganizes the government, he makes Daniel one of the top three rulers in the kingdom. But power often leads to jealousy, and it’s not long before people try to take Daniel down.

Today’s story is very similar to yesterday’s: A law that conflicts with Daniel’s convictions is passed, and Daniel remains true to his God. For his faithfulness, Daniel faces punishment—a sentence of execution by hungry lions. And in a callback to yesterday’s miraculous rescue from the furnace, God powerfully saves Daniel from the lions’ den.

Daniel isn’t the main character in this chapter, though. Instead, there’s a focus on King Darius. We see that he had been tricked into making the law that condemned Daniel, and he did all he could to try to stop the execution.

So when those efforts fail and Daniel is shut in the lions’ den, the king can’t sleep and returns to the den first thing in the morning. He’s overjoyed to find Daniel alive and responds by sending a message across his empire praising God.

So what’s going on? Why is this story so focused on the king rather than Daniel? One reason is to show us an outcome of remaining strong under pressure: We influence the people around us. People notice when we hold our convictions in a world of compromise.

Some will make fun of us, others will roll their eyes, and many will simply ignore us. But a few will see our integrity, character, and relationships, and begin to reconsider their lifestyle and spiritual beliefs. Over time, we may see the fruit of our faithfulness displayed in the lives of others.

Culture changes, but God doesn’t. We can root our lives in the shifting sands of current trends, political movements, or cultural ideologies—or we can commit ourselves to following Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Giving God our full allegiance takes courage, sacrifice, and wisdom, but it’s worth it. The conviction of Daniel and his friends led them to be a beacon of light in a dark world. And the world is still dark today. Political, cultural, and religious differences obviously still exist, and, like Daniel, we need to choose how to respond.

Will we compromise and simply blend in with the world? Or will we hold strong convictions but neglect the wisdom and kindness of Daniel, letting our words, social media posts, and actions contribute to needless hostility? Those options just add to the darkness.

Instead, we can follow Daniel’s example and choose to live with courage, kindness, wisdom, and sacrifice—then we can truly shine light and love into our world.

Maybe you’ve compromised in the past. You can’t change that now, but you can make a different choice the next time you’re tempted to put something else before God.

Or maybe you hold strong convictions but don’t reflect the grace and kindness of Jesus as you engage with people holding opposing views. Today is the day to change. Apologize for past unkindness, and pursue healthier relationships.

The world will keep on changing. But God won’t. So don’t give up. Become a beacon of light and hope in your home, neighborhood, school, and workplace. You might not see change immediately, but your kind, courageous lifestyle will make an eternal difference over time.

Challenge: For more on remaining strong when you’re feeling tempted, check out this article on finds.life.church.

Prayer: God, help me to be a beacon of light and love in this dark world. Please fill me with Your kindness as I speak with people of differing views. Help me be courageous as I face all kinds of pressure. Thank You for being with me every day. Please keep me rooted in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.