But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
Daniel 1:8 NIV
You face an ever-present pressure in your life to bow before what’s popular and powerful. When you—as a Christian—try to stand tall for what you believe, it often feels as though you are fighting against a swirling current.
Daniel, who was specially selected to be educated in the Babylonian king’s court, refused to assimilate into the pagan society. One of the ways he did this was by declining the king’s food and wine. There are many different interpretations as to why he might have done this, but the strongest argument is that he was standing against the many temptations that come along with luxury. His restricted diet was a way of daily reminding himself of his Jewish heritage and that he was dependent on God for his sustenance and life.
The takeaway from this passage is not that you should go on a diet. It’s a reminder of your heritage as God’s child. You are set apart from the world and an heir of the kingdom. And so, to keep your head above social pressures, you need a daily reminder that you are not of this world.
Lord, give me the desire and the discipline to keep my eyes fixed on You.
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Today’s reading was adapted from Daily Wisdom for Women: 2018 Devotional Collection with permission from Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading was written by Hillary McMullen.