“At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.” (Daniel 1:15-16)
What’s so different, really, between someone who stands up against the pressure to compromise when it comes to obeying God and those who live by the world’s standards?
For Daniel, that difference showed up in an obvious way in his body and good looks. His God-trusting, veggies-and-water diet worked better than the king’s diet for making him healthy, alert, and prepared to do the king’s work.
The difference should show up in our lives, as well. When you stand for your convictions, people will be watching to see if it makes any real difference or if it’s just religious rule-following. What they should see in us is a genuine, ongoing transformation in the areas of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. (See Galatians 5:22-23)
Think: Do the people in your life see a difference in you that comes from following Jesus and living by the Holy Spirit’s power? Why or why not?
Pray: Ask God to allow your life to show the reality of his life in you.
Do: Read (and try memorizing) Galatians 5:22-23.