Rooted in Truth
How Daniel’s Story Guides Us in a Compromising Culture
Happy Friday, Salt and Light readers! Welcome back to our weekly essay, where we reflect on our current mini-comic, Believing in Babylon. This comic retells the Biblical story of Daniel, and in this week’s page, we see Daniel and his three friends, after being defeated by Babylon, taken to King Nebuchadnezzer’s palace to receive a Babylonian education. Essentially, the four men are forced to live in a culture that stands in opposition to their deepest beliefs.
Similarly, Christ followers in America today find themselves in a culture that pressures us to compromise our beliefs. Just as Daniel couldn’t simply quote scripture to persuade King Nebuchadnezzar, our culture isn’t swayed by Bible verses alone. So, how can we remain faithful in such a context and live for God’s glory? The answer is clear: we must live out our beliefs, modeling them in our everyday actions- from our construction jobs, to cooking dinner, to an important meeting, to spending time with our families.
But to do this well, we first must know what we believe and be students of the whole Bible. These are not the days to be foggy in our understanding, if we want to let God’s light shine through us. Daniel and his friends knew their identity was founded firmly in the Lord, and they were therefore able to agree to a Pagan name, knowing that was not a violation of God’s law. In today’s world, things may seem trickier. With the rise of search engines and AI platforms, it’s easy to pull a Bible verse out of context and use it to justify personal beliefs. Like Daniel and his friends, we must know and understand the Bible in its larger context- and, for us, that means understanding it through the lens of the Gospel. All of Scripture points to Jesus, as the Gospel of Luke reminds us in the story of the Road to Emmaus:
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” - Luke 24: 27
Our understanding of the Bible and its ultimate narrative- the redemptive story of Jesus- equips us to respond to the culture around us, and it helps us justify our reactions and the way we live out our faith.
Second, we need to live a life that proves the Truth is worthy. Since we know what God has said, our lives should reflect our trust in His truth. How scary it must’ve been for Daniel and his friends to oppose the great (and brutal) King Nebuchadnezzer, claiming that a diet of vegetables and water would strengthen them more than the feast of rich meats and delicacies of the king’s table. Oftentimes, the Word and its truth may seem countercultural, and even counterintuitive. But, as Charles Spurgeon wisely said, “It is ours to do the right, and leave the results with the Lord.” Our peers may not agree that God’s Truth is better, and they may not see its worth. In the midst of that tension, may we remain faithful. Let us walk in truth and light, showing through our everyday lives how God’s way fulfills us.
-Nace Lanier