Not the life he expected, but see how God used Daniel’s devotion

By Dean Collins

He had a long run, but it wasn’t what his parents imagined. It was likely not the life Daniel imagined, either.

There’s a lot we don’t know about Daniel, but we can speculate a little based on what we do know. Maybe we will discover some similarities in our stories. You might have a different experience, but I didn’t come from royalty. Daniel apparently did. When Nebuchadnezzar took over Jerusalem, he grabbed some treasures and carried off some people. The king singled out Jerusalem’s royalty and other elite citizens. And he was focused on a long-term strategy, so he took the best and brightest off to Babylon. Daniel was among them.

King Nebuchadnezzar wouldn’t have taken me. I didn’t come from nobility and I’m certainly not without blemish. Daniel was among the good-looking crowd who had studied in the best schools. Daniel was one of several early adolescents who were pretty much guaranteed a bright future. Daniel had a remarkable life, but probably not the one his parents were planning.

Focused on character

Some parents are hyper-focused on their kid’s future, including making sure they have status and successful careers. I want good things for my kids and grandchildren just as you do, but I didn’t actually plan any of their careers. My parents didn’t plan mine, either. But I hope we are all focused on one aspect that Daniel’s parents must have made sure of, his spiritual formation. Somewhere early in Daniel’s life, there was a focus on character. His values and belief system were well established before he was carried to Babylon. The root of his character was established by a belief and knowledge of God.

As a boy, likely not more than high school age if not younger, Daniel was committed to his foundational belief that God was the source of all wisdom and knowledge. This confidence allowed Daniel to have the courage to stay focused on God regardless of the culture he found himself in.

As you read through the book of Daniel you realize that Daniel stayed true to his focus even as he served as an advisor to multiple kings of different cultures. But don’t be deceived by the headlines in Daniel. Yes, he did a lot of brave and courageous things, but he also endured plenty of ridicule and sometimes had peers who were jealous and tried to have him killed.

Prepared for trouble

I am pretty sure we parents and grandparents have no desire for the generation or two behind us to live in a hostile culture. We certainly don’t want to consider that our prodigy might face the kind of hostility Daniel faced off and on throughout his lifetime. But they might. So how do we prepare them?

Well, we certainly can’t go around and fix every difficult problem they face while in our home. As a college president, I’ve seen more than a few parents who attempt to intervene constantly. If we are rescued by someone in every situation, we never learn how to develop our courage and our faith.

Daniel and his young friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego discovered they could depend on God in every situation. They trusted him throughout their deportation and as they served in a foreign government. The foundation of faith was established early, and we have no indication they ever departed from it. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar said they had 10 times as much knowledge and wisdom as all of his previous advisers.

Ready for life

Getting our loved ones a good education and developing their various skills and hobbies is certainly appropriate. But if you want them ready for what life has to offer, focus on their spiritual development is critical. And the best way to start is to make it a priority in your own life. As our kids see evidence of our faith in God and the resulting wisdom and courage that comes with it, they have evidence of how it works. This doesn’t mean that they will follow instantly. But if we don’t demonstrate our faithfulness to God we may rob them of ever discovering all that God has in store for them.

Daniel didn’t have a lucky break. Yes, he did have the right bloodline that made him attractive to the various kings he served. But bloodlines can’t fix everything. A vital relationship with God and a lifetime of prayer and study are what can take anyone to places they could never imagine.

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭1:1-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash

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