Men of Conviction

Having finished Ezekiel, I am now going through the Book of Daniel. I love this book of the bible because Daniel and his three friends are such exemplary examples of faithful Christian men. They truly inspire me through their steadfast conviction. I admire their courage and zeal in standing firm in their faith despite facing daunting challenges and hostile opposition. Every time I hear or read about Daniel, I think to myself, "I want to be just like him" or probably more accurately, "I wish I could be like him!"

One definition of the word "conviction" is "a fixed or firm belief." It's a simple enough concept. It implies one who is unwavering, set, convinced. But how does one go about establishing convictions? Whether biblical or not, I think many convictions are based on preferences or preconceived notions rather than determined through thoughtful, deliberate consideration of what is best, right and true. For the Christian it ought to be easier to establish convictions because we have the Word of God to guide and instruct us. It merely requires effort to take the time to study and understand what the bible says about a matter.

Once they are set, I firmly believe that convictions allow a person to maneuver through life clearly and determinedly. In Daniel 1:8 it says that "Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank." Based on a conviction of what a proper diet was (perhaps determined by OT law?), he made a command decision not to partake of the food that the king had appointed. What a bold stance! Here he was a captive of a foreign land, which was a precarious enough situation, yet he still had the courage to refuse (albeit politely) the command of the conquering king. He didn't waver. He didn't hem-or-haw. He requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he and his friends might not defile themselves. When the chief of the eunuchs wouldn't help due to his own fear of the king, Daniel then approached the steward who worked under him saying, "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. (Hmmm, does this mean there's an argument to be made for vegans?) Then let our countenances be examined before you."

As you know, Daniel and his friends turned out looking much better and healthier than their comrades who ate of the king's appointed food. Incidentally, God also favored these young men by giving "them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." (Daniel 1:17) The chapter ends by stating that of all the men that King Nebuchadnezzar interviewed "none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm." In this case, Daniel and his friends were clearly blessed by their convictions. And yet we know that their convictions will later lead them into a great trial of opposition. More on that at a later date.