“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine…” Daniel 1:8

We often wonder what our role is in God’s mission. How much does He expect from us? Thinking that way is good in that it helps us plan and design strategies to achieve things. And yet, we should not oversee our duty of submission and confidence to God. Therefore where is the intersection between these two aspects? In other words, what is our role and what is His? When should we fold our arms and when shall He come in?

Some attempts of answers can be found in Daniel and his friends’ story during their Babylonian exile. Upon arriving in Babylon and learning what the king expected, they took but one resolution: not to defile themselves. We don’t wish to minimize the serious implications that would have had on them. Given the circumstances that prevailed then, it could have led to their death! Babylonians could have considered them as rebels and treat them accordingly. But in a nutshell, Daniel and his friends did their part, i.e. keeping their bodies clean for their God.

God immediately responded to their good decision. “Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel” Daniel 1:9. It is however in the verse 17 that we find the extraordinary intervention of God “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.” God himself created opportunity for them to display their talents and thus take glory.

We don’t work alone but rather in partnership with God and each of us has a role to play. Sometimes, ours consists in making decision on apparently simple matters like food, clothing and behaviour. Our role might as well consist of giving a helping hand to somebody we hardly know. In other circumstances though, it might consist in preaching the Word of God or praying quietly. But the Lord will certainly do his part, sometimes immediately, by way of a miracle, and in other cases, gradually through soft instructions and some other times after we are no more.

May the lord help us!

Amen