Faith And Success

God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom.   Daniel 1:17

Daniel could not change what they taught him at school. He could not change what Ashpenaz and the others chose to call him. But he could create a space in his life that was a daily reminder to him that he was a servant of God. He chose to exercise restraint, and his faithful fasting strengthened him for what lay ahead.

If we embrace every legitimate thing the world offers on the basis that there’s nothing wrong with it, we may find we’ve been seduced into adopting the values of the world. God does not call us to a life of austerity, but a life of undisciplined indulgence will eventually erode away everything in our lives that distinguishes the people of God. Daniel determined that his success in Babylon would never do this.

God gave Daniel and his friends great success in their studies, so when they came to their finals, which would have been in the form of an oral exam before the king, they passed with flying colors. Daniel was appointed to a premier position of influence within the most powerful government of his day. Faithfulness and success need not be alternatives; they are natural partners.

Daniel had proved faithful in small things, and so God trusted him with greater things. That’s always the pattern. Never imagine that faithfulness to Christ means being second rate or settling for small things. Daniel proved that he could be trusted, so God increased Daniel’s gifts and abilities and opened the door of opportunity. Daniel would have influence beyond what he had ever dreamed, becoming second-in-command to the king.

Maybe you’ve been following Christ and you’re seeing great opportunities on the horizon. The attractions of wealth, power, and pleasure are strong. Ask God to give you a love for him that is stronger. Ask him to show you how you can be different, not only in what you believe but in how you live. Ask him to show you where you can practice voluntary restraint so you can avoid drifting with the crowd. The rewards of faithful living far outweigh the temporary pleasures of indulgence.

For further reading, see Matthew 25