Dare to be a Daniel

Dare to be a Daniel

Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone. Dare to have a purpose firm and dare to make it known.

Being bold in your belief is hard, especially when you are the minority. In order for us to dare to be a Daniel, we have to stand up for what we believe in. Even if we feel like we want to follow the rest of the majority and blend in. I struggle with this a lot because I don't like to stand out and be different, but the Bible calls us to be just that.

Lets take a look at the life of Daniel.

Daniel and his friends first showed their courage when they would not eat the Kings delicacies. Daniel stood up for what he believed in and eventually asked for a test. Daniel 1:12-14 “‘Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.’ So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.”

After the ten day test Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego appeared so much more healthier than the other young men. Because Daniel obeyed God rather than men, God blessed them. Daniel 1:17 “As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature an wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”

A time later when king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, he called his wise men to him because he needed a interpretation. But he wanted them to tell him his dream and none of them could, so he began to kill all of his wise men. When Daniel heard of this, he went to the king and asked for time. And what did Daniel do with the time he was given? He went to his friends and they all prayed. They asked God for mercy and understanding.

God heard their fervent prayers, and through a night vision, gave Daniel the interpretation of the kings dream. All the while, giving God the glory for the interpretation. Daniel told the king both his dream and its meaning. (I encourage you to read Daniel 1 and 2 for the whole story!)

So what makes these four brave men stand out among the rest? Well, for starters, they stood  firm in their belief, despite the temptations and challenges. And another thing is, they had a strong connection with the Lord. They prayed fervently, and had faith in God. They trusted His will in their lives. They were faithful servants. And because of this, God blessed them and made a way for them.

That’s pretty amazing, am I right?! I don’t think I would have had the willpower, the trust, and the strength, to do what they did. But they didn’t crumble under the pressure. They didn't compromise their belief just to “fit in.” And that, my friend, is something we must strive to do in our daily lives and in the decisions we make moment by moment.

So I encouraged you (and myself) to stand firm in what you believe. Stand firm in the truth of the Bible.

Dare to be a Daniel. Even if that means standing alone.

How are some ways you dare to be a Daniel? Tell me in the comments below!