Daniel: A Man of Integrity

When life becomes difficult, how do you maintain your relationship with God? For some, when life goes from sweet to sour, we may be tempted to throw away our allegiance to God. It becomes easy to validate our sins because we have deemed God to be unfair and/or unloving. It is a rare thing, a truly commendable thing, when the follower of God stands by God and His moral, religious, and personal expectations. It is far too tempting to rip away our cord from Him when it seems that He has ripped away His cord from us. Ungodliness becomes a retaliation.

A young man, born into an influential family, once had it all ripped away. A young man, likely very educated, filled with ambitions, and, based upon his cultural practices, is likely to find a spouse in the near future. This young man is ripped from home, deprived of his male identity, and taught the ways of a new culture. His life is now thrust into survival mode—sink or swim—and a weighty decision comes into view: will he maintain his integrity?

This young man experienced the same “robbery” as many of his peers. Daniel was one of a host of young men taken to Babylon, stripped of their manhood, and placed under the rule of the chief eunuch. He is one of a host of young men who are enticed to drop their identity as God’s people and fully immerse themselves in Babylonian identity. You could imagine the fear and the feeling of urgency to assimilate that these men faced. Because of this, many would bow to man, not God, and take upon themselves a defiling diet. Makes you wonder what other changes to their identity they were willing to make to survive.

Fortunate, we are, to have an example like Daniel. Daniel stood in his integrity, not allowing himself to be defiled (Dan 1:8). He bravely took a risk by requesting a separate diet—one that would not defile him in the eyes of the Lord. He prospered, excelled, and was richly blessed by God for his apparent integrity. Daniel gives me reason to pause and consider — have I assimilated into my culture because I am afraid of sinking? Have I thought that perhaps God will provide a rich harvest if I stand by Him and His ways?