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PROGRAM D-8163
Daniel gives us a good role model in doing the right thing in the right way: We see him determined not to eat the king’s food which would have been contrary to God’s laws, but he’s very careful to do the right thing in the right way.
By refusing to eat the food, Daniel put his supervisor in a tough spot. He was sympathetic to Daniel, but he said, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you” (Daniel 1:10).
Now, what does Daniel do? He came up with a clever solution: He asked for a test period of ten days, during which he and his friends would eat vegetables and drink water. Daniel said, “Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see” (Daniel 1:13) He offered a logical alternative for his manager, one that would work for both sides. In today’s terminology, we would call this a “win-win solution.”
Imagine how things could have turned out if Daniel had taken a different approach. Suppose, for example, that Daniel had been bitter toward these people who had made him their prisoner, and had a chip on his shoulder. He could easily have hated these people and felt justified for doing so.
Maybe you’re in a spot like that now, where your treatment has been difficult or even unfair, your rights have been violated, and you are not treated with respect. It happens to us even in our free society, doesn’t it? Has that caused you to take it out on others?
If so, think of Daniel. He didn’t take out on Ashpenaz all the frustrations he must have felt because of his circumstances. Even in dealing with people who had mistreated him, he was careful to be fair and not vindictive. God can give you and me the strength to act and react in the same Christ-like manner.