Serving God in a Hostile Environment. The Example of Daniel and His FriendsSample

Giving honor to whom honor is due

Daniel’s prayers are answered: “the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night.” Daniel’s first response is not to hurry to the king or to the king’s captain, but to burst out in a song of praise to the Lord! And later, when he is brought before the king, he clearly states that he can’t answer the king’s request thanks to his own superb wisdom, but only because God has revealed it to him. So, the king’s wise men were actually right when they declared: “no one can show it to the king except the gods”! God’s Spirit was dwelling in Daniel, just like He was in Joseph centuries before, when Pharaoh had had a dream that nobody but Joseph could interpret.

God has given Daniel “understanding in all visions and dreams”, as is recorded in Daniel 1:17. His extraordinary gift now becomes especially useful — it even saves his life and the lives of his friends. But Daniel does not become proud and arrogant. He is fully aware that only God can reveal dreams, and therefore he gives honor to whom honor is due, even before a king who does not even believe in the “God of Israel”.

Is there something you are especially good at? Do you honor God with this gift?