Scripture: Daniel 1: 8
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
Observation: Daniel was selected to be in training to be service to the king. Daniel knew that he should not defile his body, yet he also knew to respect authority. Rather than simply go against his worldly authority, he came up with a logical plan and asked permission to eat a different diet, encouraging his diet to be tested in a set amount of time.
Application: I cannot ignore the part in this chapter which shows how much healthier Daniel and the other 9 were after eating vegetables in place of the royal food. This tells me to stick with my healthy eating plan and not give in to the easier convenience foods and just eating whatever whenever.
Separately, though, this passage shows how Daniel chose to do the right thing without bucking authority. He came up with a plan and went to his worldly authority and suggested it.
Perhaps God is telling us here to continue serving the Lord, doing what we know to be right, but do so in a respectful way. If you have a conflict with an instruction that goes against the Word, approach the one who is giving you this instruction and present a solution. Don’t just disobey. Use the moment to present your case and prove your point.
This way the one who has worldly authority over you will understand why you are not following instruction: He will see you are following a higher authority. By discussing the situation and not just avoiding it, you will have the opportunity to explain your actions and perhaps win over another soldier for Christ in the process.
So, don’t hide your beliefs. If you disagree with something you’ve been told to do, pray about it… And then tackle it head on.
Prayer: Lord, please strengthen all your believers to do what we are instructed by you. And when we are told to do something we know is wrong, guide us in dealing with that properly and respectfully.
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