The book of Daniel is one of my favorite Old Testament books. It will never grow old nor is it irrelevant in any way; it has great pertinence to living as a Christian in today’s world.

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies……….

Daniel was captured as a young man, taken from his home in Israel, and was brought to Babylon and to a pagan culture completely foreign from his own. The food that he was being given to eat was offered up to idols as a form of worship; Daniel knew that only the LORD God was worthy of worship. Subsequently, Daniel wanted no part of it. What strikes me so strongly about this passage is that despite the situation he was in, he didn’t see this as a small matter to be overlooked, or see it as something he was a victim of. Rather, he saw this act as not only disobedience to God, but as something that would defile him!

The second part of the verse is as follows: therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

The word ‘therefore’ is really important because it signifies that something will follow. Look at what happened next: Daniel requested something. What follows shows that God was not only present through all of Daniel’s trials, but that He honored his desire to remain committed to God no matter where he was or who was in ‘charge.’

Following Daniel’s desire, God made a way. Verse 9 says the following: Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.

For those of you who don’t know the story, Daniel and his friends did not eat the king’s food, but rather had vegetables and water. And through the provision of God they looked healthier and stronger than all the others did without eating the delicacies the others were served.

What grabs your attention about this devoted young man? This is what gets mine:

Daniel knew clearly who his God was. He had confidence in His character and His power to sustain and provide for Him no matter what.

Do you know that personally?

Daniel didn’t compromise on the little things from the start; therefore he was entrusted with more. God gave him strength and power for many hard trials in his life, but it started with his willingness to say no to food offered to idols…..I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that this one area would have been ‘easy’ to compromise on…….after all, they were in captivity, they weren’t going to be able to eat what they did back home! Right? Daniel however had the wisdom to leave the details of ‘how’ it would all work out to God. His only responsibility was to be faithful to His faithful God.

For Today: What would have happened if Daniel just went with the flow and accepted the new culture he was a prisoner of?  Would he have ever seen the magnificent power of His God in the fire of the furnace? Would he have seen God’s protection as he refused to bow down to a statue of a mere man? Or as an interpreter of the king’s dreams? Or as the one who could read the handwriting on the wall? What about in the lion’s den? If he has missed it, all of us would have missed it as well.

Friends, how can God work through us in great and profound ways if we are willing to compromise on the small things in our lives? We cannot ever say that something is not a big deal if we know and are aware that it goes against the Word and will of God!

Let’s strive to live like Daniel. No, we haven’t been taken captive in a land far from home and asked to bow down to Allah, but we have watched movies, listened to music, and participated in events or conversations that did not honor the Lord Jesus Christ. He is worthy of our complete and utter devotion no matter where we are, and even when we are right at home.

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Revelation 2:10 Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.