Then the king ordered...some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians...They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. – Daniel 1:3-5 NIV

King Nebuchadnezzar was shrewd. After conquering Jerusalem, rather than killing all the Hebrews or locking them in prison, he took the brightest and the best of his captives and trained them to appreciate life from a Babylonian perspective. The book of Daniel is a running commentary of how some of God’s people remained faithful while engaging a culture full of idols. Daniel is instructive for Christians today as we are called to engage American society.

Many Christians find comfort in the company of fellow believers who share our views. This is one of the benefits of gathering for weekly worship, Bible study and Sunday school. However, our purpose is not simply to live in our Christian “bubble,” but to GO into society and “make disciples.”

Some of us may be a bit squeamish about engaging those outside the Christian faith. However, Daniel shows us how important it is for us to be informed and involved in the community where God has placed us. Our personal relationship with God, our prayers and understanding of God’s Word are essential to being “salt” and “light” instead of being homogenized into the culture. No one said this was easy. Daniel and his friends faced some stiff opposition. However, God used their involvement, their commitment to excellence and their unflappable faith to impact those around them.

As we seek God for ways to impact our community, pray about participating in The Truth Project. Discover more by following this link on the internet http://www.thetruthproject.org. This Christian worldview experience will help you sort out Biblical truth from cultural alternatives so as to live more like Daniel in these changing times.

In Jesus, Who is still the same,
Dave Meckley