We continue this week with our ongoing series titled "Success in Babylon," in which we are focusing on Daniel and the steps he took not just to survive but thrive in Babylon after his forced deportation. Last week, we saw that Daniel and his friends refused to eat the king's food, asking for permission to maintain their simpler diet of vegetables. They received permission to do so for only a few days and then they would be evaluated to determine if their diet was indeed superior to that of the king's training center. Let's look at the rest of the story from there.
IT WORKED
Daniel's experiment of not eating the king's food produced good results:
At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus (Daniel 1:15-21).
Daniel proved that his diet and way of life were superior to that of the Babylonians, and the king's official, who wanted results, was only too glad to comply. Not only did Daniel and his friends look better than the other young captives, they also outperformed their peers. Since God promotes people who develop their potential dnd not those who only have it but do nothing with it, it was only a matter off time before these men were noticed and given more responsibility.
MORE PROOF
There are many places in the Bible where the success of God's people is promised or at least insinuated. Here are a few:
- Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank (Proverbs 22:29).
- The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom (Deuteronomy 28:13).
- Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:1-3).
In my busy days doing prison ministry, I would encourage the inmates to be true to their Christian values, for God watched and worked even in prison settings, just like He did in Babylon. There were times when God tested the inmates by giving them lowly positions or harsh overseers, but I never saw it fail that if they were true to God's ways and persevered, God would promote and prosper them. The same is true for you, no matter what situation you find yourself in.
While we must be careful not to worship at the altar of success, we must also acknowledge that God's ways work, and, if we follow them, He will exalt us in whatever sphere He calls us to serve. Therefore, if you are not advancing, you must ask the reasons why and examine yourself to see if you are the problem. Are you bearing fruit? Do you have favor with those over you? If you have leadership power, do you champion the cause of those who are faithful, skilled, and honest? Success in Babylon is no different than anywhere else, for God is the same no matter where His people are called to live and serve. Have a blessed week.
Comments