Daniel 2:47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”
I think everyone has encountered people who are always trying to make a name for themselves. What they do for the company, is engineered in such a way to bring renown to themselves. It’s not wrong to be acknowledged for your efforts, but Daniel took a different path.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. He called in his wise men and asked them to tell him the dream and what it meant. They nervously asked, “O King, tell us the dream and we will interpret it for you.” But the king had something else in mind. They were to tell the dream as well as the interpretation, and if they could not, they were to be executed!
Daniel became aware of this when the servant came to kill him, since he was a ‘wise man in training’, so to speak. Daniel asked to see the king and requested one day. He then went back to his friends and asked for prayer! That night, God showed Daniel the dream. Daniel reported back to the king and told him the dream and the interpretation. Naturally, the king was impressed!
This was Daniel’s chance! He was an exile. He’d been brought here against his will. He was forced into the king’s service. The other wise men were rivals. Daniel could easily have worked this situation to his own advantage and brought renown to himself. But that’s not what he did. He approached the king respectfully. He deflected all praise back to God. Be-cause of Daniel’s actions, God was glorified. A pagan king got a glimpse of Who God really was.
We have an opportunity every day to live as we please. We can respond to the work and the challenges we are given in ways that benefit ourselves and, if we do, few would be critical of the decision. However, what if we lived in such a way that our actions (or attitudes) caused people to naturally praise God? If I live for myself, my reward will be short-lived. But if I live for God’s glory, that’s a reward with eternal consequences!
God probably isn’t asking you to interpret a dream for someone. But He is asking you to live the life He’s given you for His glory. That’s why we’re here. If bringing God glory is always at the front of my consciousness, I will make choices that will reflect that. (And others will notice!) Daniel was living for much more than personal reward or revenge. With God’s help, we can too!
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
