I love the book of Daniel. Always have. It has some of the most exciting stories many of us grew up learning. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the blazing furnace. Daniel in the lions den.
It also has some really confusing stuff. The kings of Babylon have crazy, outlandish dreams that mean something and come true. A had appears and writes bad news in some weird language. And then there's all the apocrophal stuff that folks have been arguing over for years.
As I was reading through Daniel this morning, however, I had a thought. I think book of Daniel shows us how to live out our faith in a culture that is post-Christian, anti-Christian and not-interested-in-anything-Christian.
And what we learn is in direct contrast to how many of us are living in our current culture.
Take chapter 1. Daniel resolves not to defile himself with the king's food and wine. He doesn't condemn the king's food and wine. He just makes a decision to not defile himself, and he's willing to suffer the consequences of that decision. He never judges the chief official. He doesn't say it's wrong for others to eat and drink the king's food and wine. He know's it's wrong for him and he lives out his faith. And God rewards him greatly.
Take the fiery furnace story. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego don't condemn the worship of the gold statue. They don't ridicule the king's policy. They just refuse to bow in worship to the gold statue. And they are willing to suffer the consequences of that decision. And God rewards them for greatly.
Take Daniel and the lion's den. Daniel doesn't condemn the king's anti-Jewish-prayer policy. He doesn't speak out against the men who wrote the bill and lobbied for the bill. He doesn't complain that it's not fair. He just continues to pray three times a day, just like he'd always done. And he's willing to suffer the consequences of his decision. And God rewards him greatly.
I think we could learn something from the book of Daniel about how to live as Christians in our current culture. And maybe, possibly, hopefully, God might start rewarding us greatly like he did those four exiled Jewish men.
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