As I left bible study this morning, I couldn’t help but think about the teaching on Daniel. I had a much clearer understanding of how he must have felt living in the pagan city of Babylon.  The story of Daniel has such a contemporary feel to it against the backdrop of current day culture.   Do you ever feel like a stranger living within a secular culture?  Does it ever feel like it is a daily battle to uphold what you value in the face of an ungodly world?  Have you struggled to be a voice among people that seem completely disinterested in truth?  Daniel is the biblical account of a familiar situation.   

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.  He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.

Daniel 2: 20-22

Daniel, likely a teenager, was plucked from Jerusalem and taken to Babylon to live within a foreign pagan culture.   There were various kings during his time there, most notably Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar and Darius.  Riddled with pride and deception, these kings exalted themselves and their pagan gods above the one true God.  Despite this, Daniel chose to remain resolved in his commitment to his God, even in the face of a lion’s den!  

How can we be trained like Daniel in cross-cultural relations for the glory of God?  We must be resolved and decidedly firm in our course of action.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, unerring wisdom and success come in the resolve to follow God regardless of the possible outcomes.  It may not always go in our favor, but holding on tightly to our Godly values – with respect and humility – is always the way of the wise. This can be incredibly difficult in today’s culture; staying relatable to the world without compromising truth. It is like walking a tightrope and may be the most important task we are given as Christians; loving humanity while honoring the Lord without compromise. It is risky. And if you are not firmly planted in the Lord, secular culture will consume you.

I’ve always been a natural leader, or influencer you might say. In positions of leadership, I’ve had to get comfortable with the risks that surround difficult decisions in the face of immense pressure. Like Daniel, remaining resolved when handling modern day lions is extraordinarily difficult. Yet, God has assigned me to this place. I am not called to live in a bubble. I’m called to live a life of integrity within the community God has placed me; remaining steadfast spiritually while staying culturally relevant. 

For me, frequent time with the Lord has certainly helped me maintain this balance. Likewise, God has assigned you to your corner of the world and is calling you to live out your life with the same resolve as Daniel. Time passes, seasons change, but God’s Word is eternal and will always sustain us in the face of our current day Babylon.