“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; … Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs…As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”
Daniel 1:8-9, 17 NKJV
My goodness I love the book of Daniel. Given how the Bible describes him as “a young man in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand,” it’s safe to say he was originally from a prominent family and had been taught the ways of G-d. I imagine his parents had grand plans for him – perhaps a waiting inheritance – when he was taken against his will and made a slave. From prosperity to pauper, free man to slave – he had every reason to be offended at people and at G-d yet he was not. This is a man to pay attention to. It surely wasn’t easy, but it was a decision he made based in faith and not feeling.
The Bible says Daniel “purposed”. The Hebrew word is śûm: (pronounced soom) direct ones mind toward, pay attention to. The TLV version uses the word “resolved” – Daniel resolved that he would not defile G-d. He made a decision well in advance and that decision became his guiding principle.
A former leader we had at Sorenson shared one time that he made a decision years earlier to wake up at 5 am to workout. His rational was simple – a decisions made in advance meant a higher likelihood of keeping his commitment to himself, and by making decisions ahead of time, he reduced decision fatigue and created early, easy wins.
Decision fatigue is something we talk about often as leaders. Reading this, I wonder if the “decision fatigue” is really emotional fatigue. If I make my decisions based on emotions, I choose feelings over facts, and feelings can be misleading.
Daniel could have been angry. He could have been hurt or offended. He could have decided to eat what he wanted – but he purposed to please the Lord. He directed his mind toward pleasing G-d. He didn’t lean on feelings. He LOOKED to Who and what he knew to be true. And in the end, G-d gave him favor; wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. The delicacies were a small sacrifice for a lifetime of walking in the wisdom and favor of G-d.
I’m praying tonight for G-d to speak to me about the areas I need to sharpen my resolve and in doing so, position myself to be used by Him.
Father – I’m so grateful for Your Word. Thank You. I’m so grateful for teaching I’ve had from men like Pastor Olen. My heart is full. Teach me to be more like You. Open my heart to Your truth. You are good and You keep doing good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen.
Daily Reading: Daniel 1-3
September 14, 2022