DANIEL 1:1-17

“What man in his right mind would conspire his own hurt? Men are beside themselves when they transgress against their convictions.”

      William Penn

It is often said, “Actions speak louder than words.”  Every believer is responsible for exerting a godly influence. Through our example and testimony, we are to lead people to a better understanding of Jesus Christ and the way to follow Him. From what we know of the prophet Daniel’s life, he was a man who used his influence wisely. His consistent godly actions impacted his friends as well as four kings and their kingdoms.  Daniel possessed a strong conviction that every word of Scripture was true. He consequently declined to eat food from the king’s table because Exodus 34:15 forbade consuming anything offered to idols (this was a common practice in Babylon). Daniel’s commitment to God outweighed any fear of reprisal for turning down royal provisions.  The Lord honored Daniel’s conviction by ensuring that he found favor among powerful men. He also gave Daniel and his friends wisdom and knowledge that would serve them well as royal officials—positions that guaranteed godly influence would spread throughout the kingdom.  It is interesting to note that we often think that the way to gain influence or “get ahead” is to attempt what allowed someone else to gain what we are looking for.  However, it is when we gain the proper perspective on our convictions that God is able to open doors of influence that we would not normally be able to open.  We are not likely to have opportunity to influence kings, but our example can have impact in a workplace or neighborhood, or even across generations. As was true of Daniel, a godly influence is rooted in the Bible. We must believe the book is God’s inerrant Word. If our convictions are not based on scriptural principles, the pattern of our life cannot be consistent, and we will chase after preferences instead of standing upon doctrine. Therefore, a commitment to stand on the bedrock of God’s Word is not negotiable.