You’ve probably heard the saying before, “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” It’s a bit of a cheesy saying, but true nonetheless.
In the case of Daniel, it took great courage for Daniel as a teenage, prisoner slave, to stand up to his captors, the mightiest nation in the world, and decide that he would not break God’s law to please them or to blend in.
Daniel 1:8 says, But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank;
As we discussed last week, Daniel didn’t oppose the Babylonian education and he didn’t oppose the Babylonians assigning him a new name. After all, there was nothing in God’s law that forbid those things.
But Daniel drew the line and made his stand when they gave him food that, to eat, would have broken God’s law. Daniel drew the line where God drew the line, but then he took it one step further. Daniel also would not drink the Babylonian wine, even though to do so would not break God’s law. Why?
Because Daniel didn’t seek a good path, he sought the best path. This point is lost on too many Christians today. Too many times I have witnessed Christians defending their right to do whatever they want saying things in their defense like, “If it’s not a sin, I can do it.”
What they’re missing is a bigger picture. The most common defense I hear is Christians defending their “right” to drink alcohol. And look, I’m not saying that it’s a sin to drink alcohol. But I do stand with Paul when he says in 1 Corinthians 10:23,
All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.
What is Paul teaching? He’s teaching that just because something isn’t a sin, doesn’t mean that it’s a good thing to do. But why? Why would Paul teach such a thing? The reason is in the very next verse, 1 Corinthians 10:24,
Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
This teaching is among the most controversial things that could ever be taught in our world today. Paul is teaching that, for the good of others, sometimes we don’t do what we want, but we do that which is best for our neighbor.
Few who call themselves Christians practice this teaching, even though to do so would be the fulfillment of what Jesus said was the second greatest of all commandments, Mark 12:31,
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
So, what was Daniel doing? He recognized that in his situation, the best and highest and most influential thing he could do would be to not drink the king’s wine. How would that be the best and highest and most influential thing?
He’s the leader of his friends that are making a stand with him. His aim for their little group is to not defile themselves, in other words, sin, in an unknown place, among an unknown people, drinking an unknown wine.
Daniel recognized the danger of letting his guard down in a godless environment, surrounded by sinful temptations, so he resolved that in order to safeguard he and his friends as best they could against temptation, they would not take part in an activity that lowers one’s guard.
Oh, that Christians would take similar stands today! Imagine the influence we would have for Christ if we too sought the highest good – the most influential stance for Christ – instead of constantly demanding and defending our personal rights, with no though whatsoever to the feelings of our neighbors.
The result of Daniel’s unusual stance? Seventy years of godly influence in a pagan culture. Giving up the wine was a small price to pay in order to have a mighty influence for God.
My point is not to keep you from having a drink; my point is that we never even consider taking a drink if it violates the teaching of 1 Corinthians 10:24,
Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
Followers of Christ are never called to be ordinary, but always, extraordinary. Just do the little extra. I’m also not saying it will be easy, but neither was the cross.
Much love,
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
