Dei Break
Daniel 1:5 – 21
Anger does not enhance the world's opinion of Christians. The fact that the good things that Christians say are either not reported, or falsely condemned as judgmental or hateful, doesn't help. So, how do we be truthful about the moral disaster developing in our country and world without angering the very people we want to help? Silence isn't the answer—though it is the answer the world demands. Perhaps the answer is found in God's word and in the stories about God's people.
Daniel was not afraid to trust God. He did not approve of Babylon's gods or their war against Judah. But, neither did he launch into direct rebellion against the situation in which God placed him. Daniel did not begin a hunger strike in protest against the foods that the Babylonians gave him, though the menu certainly included foods prohibited by his Jewish heritage and God's instruction. He didn't threaten the lives of the cooks, or file a lawsuit to stop the king's orders. Daniel realized that in the Babylonian's minds it was a great honor to partake of the king's list of choice delicacies. Instead of angrily protesting, Daniel "went through the appropriate channels", trusting God to provide a way for him and his friends to maintain their dietary obedience to God's law.
Daniel was willing to let God be involved in his actions and words. We must do the same. We even have an advantage over Daniel. We really can stop and think, "What would Jesus do?" or perhaps even better—"What would Jesus say?"
Don't get me wrong. We are not called to go along with the world. We are called to be the salt that draws the world out of the mire and into the light. God does have a right to rule the world, and does.
Like Daniel, however, we are to act and speak the truth in such a way that the world is persuaded to listen—which is much harder than hating the world and what it does and permits.
Do we always succeed in seeing the world change? Did Jesus see His teaching change society in His time of ministry? Persuasion is much harder than demanding to be heard, but it is the way to change the world, one person at a time. The Holy Spirit influenced those around Daniel—He will do the same for us.
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