Subject: Be People of Excellence in a Generation of Compromise
Scripture: Daniel 1:8-21 “But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” 11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. 17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. 18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. 21 Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.”
Introduction: What does the word excellence mean to you? To me excellence means to be consistent in good character, attitude, quality, and standards. It means to be unapologetically different. Being a person of excellence is a continuous process. All of us are familiar with the pressures of life to conform to this world. Often, we speak of peer-pressure as it relates to teenagers, but all of us face the pressure to compromise. Today's lesson is taken from a dark period in the life of Judah and Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, took Jerusalem, and carried away whom and what he pleased. A part of his strategy was to select the brightest and most talented men of Judah for his personal use. These wise young men, which including Daniel and the three Hebrew boys were gloomed, trained, and shaped to serve the king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar ordered his chief of stall to train these chosen young men in the Chaldean language and all the customs of Babylon. Their original Hebrew names were changed too further separate them from their heritage. Their original names connected them to their heritage and reminded them of their Hebrew God. In order to cause them to forget their homeland, their God, the God of their fathers who had been their guide from their youth, the Babylonians gave them names that reflected the name of the Babylonian God, Dagon. Names are still powerful. Proverbs 22:1, states, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches; and loving favor rather than silver or gold.” During Daniel’s day names were carefully chosen to reflect the character of the child, its association to the family and to their God. Many today have fallen under Satan’s deception which begin with a name change. Under an alias, a stage name, or a pen name people are willing to say anything and do anything, while hiding behind a mask.
Nebuchadnezzar knew that one of the best ways to indoctrinate people was to give them a new identity, change their diet, their language and introduce them to new customs. Give them new music, new vices, and an abundance of flesh pleasing desirables. After a few months, the king thought to transform them into Babylonians.
Even though there are considerable difficulties in explaining some of the prophetic meaning of some passages in the book of Daniel, one can always find encouragement that build faith and hope, and great examples worthy of emulation. We find glimpses of Christ Jesus, his death burial, resurrection, his glorious return and even end time predictions. Today, let’s look at the life of Daniel and how he chose to live in a hostile environment, in a foreign land, under an ungodly ruler without compromise. The life of Daniel is an example worth emulating. I have titled the message, "Dare to be a Person of Excellence! The Bible is filled with accounts of many godly men and women who are good examples for us to follow. One such person is Daniel, a man who obtained preeminence and power in his lifetime: He started out preeminent among the young children of Israel. He was selected as a young man of wisdom and ability. Then he gained further preeminence among the wise men of Babylon. The Bible says that Daniel became ten times wiser than the wise men of Babylon. Finally, He was given power over all of Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. Then After Babylon fell to the Medo-Persian Empire, King Darius recognized Daniel value and promoted Him to a similar place of power in the Medo-Persian Empire. The Prophet Ezekiel, an older contemporary of Daniel spoke of Daniel’s wisdom and the level of excellence in Daniel’s administration.
The word excellent occurs in 34 passages of Scripture in the King James Version of the Bible; more than half of them refer to God, his attributes and Creation; 10 refer to things such as names, sacrifices, and glory; and 7 seven refer to men. Three of the references about men, talk about Daniel. Excellence is the quality of excelling, of being the very best at something. Human beings have an intrinsic desire to see excellence. In every people group across the world, excellence is prized and rewarded. Whether it is a tribe celebrating excellence in hunting or a Wall Street accountant promoted because of his excellence in finance, our appreciation of excellence comes from our Creator. To be made in God’s image means that He imparted some of His character qualities to us (Genesis 1:27). We crave justice because He is just (Psalm 9:16). We love because He is love (1 John 4:16). And we strive for excellence because He is excellent in everything He does (Deuteronomy 32:4).
Proverbs 12:26 states, “The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor: but the way of the wicked seduces them.”
Proverbs 17:27 states, “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.”
Philippians 1:9, 10 States, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;”
How was Daniel able to be a person of excellence in a corrupt nation? How was Daniel able to reach positions of power and influence without compromising his character as a godly man? Daniel as a teenager in the University of Babylon faced the same temptations as teenagers face in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland County, and even in Pembroke. What was his secret? A close look at the book of Daniel reveals his secret and shows how we too can be successful without selling our souls. First, we notice that even as a young teenager, Daniel was a man of purpose.
1. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PURPOSE - Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore, he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”
Daniel lived a life of purpose. There he is, a young teenager in a strange land, who received a full ride to a major college. As a member of this elite group, Daniel was immediately tempted with a challenge of violating God's law and eat things that were unlawful for him being a Jew to eat. Even though he was in the king's court, with the king’s rules, and the king’s suggested food, he declined. Many of the other Jews were conforming, Daniel would not. Despite being young and the obvious pressure to conform, Daniel "purposed in his heart" to uphold the law of God, no matter the cost. Daniel chose to maintain his integrity. Because of his willingness to put God first in everything, God granted Daniel favor in the sight of others. Daniel 1:9 states, “Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.”
How God did this is not explained, but just as it happened in the life of Joseph, it happened with Daniel. Daniel chose to serve with excellence. By putting God first, God blessed Joseph in such a way that favor of God could be seen by others. Daniel purposed to put God first in all that he did, and others could see it.
Every child of God needs to be a person of purpose. No one respects a "wishy-washy" person, someone with no direction in their lives to be successful or excellent. When people have a strong purpose, others can see it and often respect and admire them. What should be the "purpose" of the Christian? Jesus makes it clear in Mt. 6:33 when he said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Seek ye first the kingdom of God. The promise is made that if we seek it first, and its righteousness, all earthly wants will be supplied. The conditions demand that we seek God’s reign and righteous standard, being excellent in our attitude, using our time, resources, gifts and talents in the best way, as we represent God. We must "love the Lord our God with the whole heart, soul and mind, allowing Him to reign in our lives even in a foreign land.
Will you "Dare To Be Person of Excellence" and be a person with a purpose like Daniel? No matter how young one may be, it is never too early to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness". Throughout his life, Daniel not only had a strong sense of purpose, saying “I will be my best at all times.” Daniel did not make excuses to let up, to lower his standard or give in to the pressure. He lived his life on purpose!
2. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PRINCIPLE. Daniel 1:12, 13 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.”
Daniel was not trying to be defiant, nor did he want to put others in jeopardy. Daniel believed that God could be trusted and would come through for him. Daniel refused to compromise his convictions on the principle that if I stand for God, God will stand for me. Daniel had some principles which include: the ; the responsibility to love God with his whole being and to love his neighbor; the responsibility to pursue righteousness and practice justice and mercy to everyone; and participation in the prayer and worship to God. A principle is a kind of rule, belief, or idea that guides you. In general, a principle is philosophy of basic truth that guides you in your life as you make decisions and guide your actions. As a young man, Daniel refused to eat the king's meat or drink his wine. Later, as an old man, Daniel refused the special gifts offered by Belshazzar for interpreting a dream. Under the threat of persecution, Daniel refused to stop praying towards Jerusalem. People admire persons of principles. Outwardly they may ridicule them, but inwardly they wish they had the same intestinal fortitude. And when they need someone that can be trusted, and depended upon to carry through with an assigned task, who do you think they will turn to? God also admires individuals who will stand by their principles, and by their words.
Psalms 15:1-5 states, "LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbites not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honored them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved."
Our society, there is a great need of people with solid guiding principles. Our church needs people with principles; those who "Dare To Be Person of Excellence", must be people who lived their lives on purpose, who demonstrate their value by being guided by solid principles rather than by compromise, or accepting bribes or seeking popularity. Not only are they highly valued by God but also by their fellow man. Being a person who lives on purpose and guided by solid principle, must also be a person of moral purity. Daniel was a man of moral purity!
3. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PURITY. Daniel 6:3-4 “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.”
Daniel was so morally pure, none of his opponents could not find any fault in his life or his affairs. He was faithful and faultless when it came to management of his business affairs. 1 Corinthians 4:2 reminds us “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” Daniel chose to live above reproach. There are many who are somewhat faithful, but their work quality leaves something to be desired. There are others who strive for excellence, but they lack the people skills. They destroy others trying to advance themselves. Daniel could easily be elevated and rise to positions of great responsibility and power because he did excellent work and he had an excellent spirit. Of course, his purity in business affairs was related to His overall purpose to please God first and the fact that as a man of principle he could be trusted.
Those who dare to be persons of excellence must maintain purity in their conduct. We should strive to be faithful and faultless, whether young or old, whether slave or free. The work God has assigned to you should be important to you. Do you strive for excellence? People who maintain purity in their dealings with others and strive for excellence in the administration of their affairs are often given positions of great responsibility and privilege. Why? Because they can be trusted to use them wisely. When God entrust us with positions of power and privilege, we are to strive for excellence.
Yes, Daniel was a man of purpose, principle, and purity and how the world needs more like him!
Finally, consider the fact that Daniel was a man of prayer. Purpose, principles, purity and prayer caused Daniel to experience blessings from God and favor with men. Daniel was a man of prayer.
4. DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PRAYER. Dan 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime."
Daniel was faithful in prayer. Long before being carried into Babylon, Daniel prayed. When he was carried to Babylon, he maintained his prayer life. Even when he was forbidden to pray, Daniel knelt down and prayed towards Jerusalem. On his knees, he demonstrated his humility. He prayed three times daily, a demonstration of his continual dependence upon God. He gave thanks amid great persecution, a demonstration of his gratitude and the fact that he had not lost sight on God as the source of every blessing.
Those who dare to be persons of excellence would do well to follow Daniel’s example. We should be persons of purpose, putting God first in all we do; persons of principles, who will not compromise our convictions for God’ righteousness; persons of purity who are both faithful and faultless striving for excellence; and we should be persons of prayer, who are willing to fall on our knees, continually depending on God, and praising God for all that he Has done and is going to do.
As Christians, we should pray often. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16, we are told to “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
Our efforts to live purpose filled lives, guided by solid principles, pure in life and conduct lives should be undergirded by a disciplined "prayer life." Dare to be men of excellence in spite of the peer pressure. We need the favor of God and the respect of men. Daniel grew in the favor of God and the favor of men. The bible is clear that promotion does not come from man but God. God places us all through a process of growing, maturing and gift development. The result many times is promotion. Whether the promotion is in form of a relationship, business or personal opportunities, God will grant you wisdom and favor with others. Because promotion comes from God, but through the hands of men. Like Joseph, Daniel and even Jesus, we need favor with God and man.
I close with Proverbs 3:1-8, “Trusting in the Lord My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.”
Being people of excellence in a generation of compromise means being different. Living on purpose, living by principles, living in purity, and living as a person of prayer! Amen.
