Daniel 1 – Favor

Daniel 1 – Favor

What a great example of God’s hand working through unbelievers….”God had caused the official to show favor”. No doubt this official (another translation calls him the Prince of Eunuchs) was a follower of the deity of whatever the king worshipped. But Daniel’s disposition and God’s hand allowed him the wiggle room to show Daniel favor.
Even with his own life on the line, he allowed Daniel and the three men, not to ‘defile’ themselves with the royal food. Though not vegetarians these men were not only able to sustain them selves on vegetables and water, but became more healthy looking than any of the others.

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your [c] 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."
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
I think of the manner that I sometimes take with someone of opposing views or beliefs and the effect that has on my cause. Could Daniel have been indignant? Could God have still caused the official to relent? Sure…but Daniel, not knowing how or when God would intervene, decided to be gracious until He did. I guess the lesson here is ….. stand firm on your convictions, acts as if your position was fully dependent on your actions….then when God’s favor is placed on the situation, be sure to give him glory.