51. AN HONORABLE LIFEHonor is more than an ideal, it is achievable one determined choice at a time. What is your choice?
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In big cities hundreds of cars line the streets underneath "No Parking" signs. The general attitude of the people seems to be,
"If you can get away with it, do it."
It seems like very few people understand that there are reasons be- hind the prohibitions. Or perhaps obeying laws is just a matter of convenience to most people. What about God's instructions? Is God particular in His requirements or does He put them out there as a suggestion that would be good to follow if you have time or feel like it? Is He really not that interested in the details just as long as you make up for His requirements with some other compensating good deed?
In today's story we will look at our covenant relationship with God as it is carried out in practical life. It is in the every-day actions of life that our religion finds its expression, that the principles that motivate us find their application. We begin with a conversation between two men regarding some practical life situations.
Vural turned his glass bottom up and nished his last swallow of tea. He dropped the spoon into the glass with a clank as if to announce that he had come to a conclusion. He proclaimed,
“Kenan, I think you're crazy! You are too particular. You are losing a lot of money for nothing."
Kenan looked at his friend carefully. It was not the rst time that they had had this conversation.
"Why do you think that, Vural?" Kenan asked.
"Why don't you record half of your sales without a sales receipt? The value added tax is 18.5 percent. All that money goes to the government and you will never see any benefit out of it. Who knows how much of that money goes to buy summerhouses and Mercedes for government officials? I mean, isn't that really too much tax? And that isn't your only tax. There is stoppage tax because you are renting this shop and there is KDV tax and SSK quarterly tax and that does not include chamber of commerce bi-annual fees or insurance. Who can make any money with all these suffocating taxes and fees lingering over our heads? Just write down enough sales to make the tax office happy and do the rest under the table and make some money."
Kenan’s computer store was certainly not rolling in money. His was only one of many such small stores on that busy downtown street. Vural had described exactly what Kenan’s competition was doing. Beside himself, Kenan did not know anyone who operated his or her business completely within the law. Everyone was cheating on his or her taxes.
They would all say, “Well my machine is broken right now, I can’t give a receipt.”
Kenan responded to his friend, "Vural, from a nancial stand- point you are right. But money is not the only thing in life. I am not saying that money isn’t important. But is money there to serve me or am I here to serve money?"
Vural interjected, "I am not talking about being rich, I am talking about survival."
"I know, I know. It may be that I can't survive with my own store, that I have to close it, and go work for someone else. That is not what I want to do but it certainly is within the realm of possibilities. But what I am talking about is how I want to live. I do not want to go through life being a liar and a cheater. That is not the kind of person I want to be. I want to be a person of principle and character. And that includes my relationship with the government. I do not want to look upon the government as my enemy. While I am sure that there is graft and corruption in various places, all those taxes do provide socialized medicine, Social Security retirement, roads, schools, and the general laws that make the whole system work. If those weren't in place everything would be chaos. I want to support my country, not tear it down. Don't you love Turkey?"
Vural winced and said, "Yes of course I do, but I want to eat too. You can't make a living like this."
"Well, I haven't gotten rich yet, but I am surviving. Sometimes it is hard. But I want to trust God to meet my needs without having to go around the law to do it.”
"The government will not miss your money. They have plenty of money. It is you who are poor. Don't worry about it. Don't cut so many receipts."
"Is that it? If someone is rich I should not pay him or her? Carrefour and Kipa have money, so I shouldn't pay them because they are rich? You want me to use pirate software because Bill Gates does not need the money?"
"Definitely. Bill Gates is rich. You don't need to give him another kuruş!" Vural said raising his voice.
Kenan leaned forward to make his point more emphatic, "So according to you, I should not give anything to God either because He is richer than everyone, right?"
"Well that's different,” stuttered Vural. "We don't really give to God, we give to the poor or to our religion."
"How is it different? If our religious institutions are rich then we don't have to give. Isn’t that right? With that kind of thinking all societal structures would break down. Things work best when everyone does their share. So I pay my taxes. ”
Vural lit his cigarette and watched the smoke curl up into the air.
"I still think you're being too particular. You are poor and the government doesn't need your money. They have too much anyway."
"How can I tell you something about principle? For example, if some foreigner walked into the shop and offered you pig’s meat to eat, would you eat it?"
"No way!" shot back Vural. "That's disgusting!"
Vural curled up his nose as if the bad smelling meat was right in front of him.
"Why wouldn't you eat it?"
"Because it's forbidden,” Vural said icking the ashes from his cigarette to the floor.
"But why do you think it is forbidden? Is it because it is dirty? It has been washed and cooked just as much as any kokoreç."
"The meat itself is nasty. It is not fit for food."
"So you are saying that it is harmful to your body, is that right?" "That's right,” said Vural.
"And that cigarette you are smoking, I suppose you think that it's good for your body! And what about the rakı that you drink? What is that, organic health food?"
"Well that is different."
"How is that different? What is the principle? God revealed to man that swine's esh is not good for food. And under no circumstance would you eat it. You think it's lthy and dirty. And you would feel yourself unclean (murdar) before God if you should eat it. Why then would you think that smoking and drinking wouldn’t make you unclean before God? Don't they also destroy the body? And why do we think that eating swine's esh would make us more unclean before God than telling lies or stealing Bill Gates’ software? What kind of a tradition are we under where physical cleanliness supposedly recommends us to God more than moral purity? When did the idea come out that God accepts adulterers before pork-eaters?”
Vural was quiet for a moment. "I don't know, it just seems that way."
"It seems that way because tradition told us that, not because God's Word tells us that. God's Word tells us that eating muscles (midye) is just as unclean as eating pork. But on every seashore in Turkey, muscles are for sale to eat. Go look up God's command through the prophet Moses about what foods we could eat.10 You will see. But the question still remains, shall we live by principle or shall we do what is simply convenient? Shall we do right because it is right, no matter what the cost?"
Morals, food, tradition, covenant and principle are all important factors in this Bible lesson based on Daniel chapter 1. Let's start by reading verses 1-5:
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles,
4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.
As we see in these verses, the Ottomans were not the rst to make use of the talents of captured peoples. After conquering the southern kingdom of Judah, destroying Jerusalem, and taking thousands of people captive, the king of Babylon saw potential in the descendents of Judah’s king and other noble families to serve in his government. So, he placed them under the supervision of his of cials, took care of their needs, and trained them in the local laws, religion, language, and traditions for three years. Let's continue by reading verses 6-8:
6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not de le himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not de le himself.
Imagine that you have been captured and taken to a place hundreds of miles from your homeland. You are among people who worship idols. You are given a name that corresponds to one of those false gods as a way of in uencing you to give up your own religion and accept the gods of your captors. What would you do if you were offered pig’s meat and wine? Would you eat it and drink it?
“No!” you say, “I would be true to principle. I would not consume either one.”
Well you know how important it is not to offend your host and to eat and drink what is offered to you. Not to mention that you don’t have that problem right now in Turkey because everyone eats and drinks according to the same value system. But if you were miles away from family and peers living in Germany, would you make the same decision? Would you dare to be different? Let's see if Daniel follows through with his convictions in verses 9 and 10:
9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. 10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king."
Now the stakes are little higher. If Daniel refuses to eat the king's meat and drink his wine, it might offend him. He might even be killed. Under those two conditions, would you still remain true to principle, even if you lose your life? After all, you could think to yourself,
"Is it better to eat and drink something that I shouldn't and stay alive or refuse and die? What good is it if I am dead? Is it really worth risking my life over food and drink?"
But perhaps the issue is bigger than food and drink. Wasn't there also the issue of idolatry? In ancient cultures, the meats were tradi- tionally offered to idols. When a person ate those meats they were actually paying honor to the false gods. Surely, Daniel wanted no part in that kind of religious practice. Let's see what happened next in Daniel chapter 1 verses 11-21:
11 So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 "Then let our appearance be examined 131 before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants." 14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in esh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20 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. 21 Thus Daniel continued until the rst year of King Cyrus.
Daniel and his three friends would not compromise the principles of the covenant that God had laid out for them in the Torah. For Daniel and his friends, the principles of the Torah were not just rules and regulations. They were living principles. Daniel understood that to eat foods offered to idols would be considered participation in idolatry and of course he would not do that. Moreover, Daniel understood that eating foods forbidden by God was detrimental to his health. By staying true to principle, Daniel would be stronger mentally, physically and spiritually. He would be able to resist temptation and sin more easily because his body, brain and spirit were all interlinked.
Perhaps Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah remembered the story in Genesis where God had given Adam and Eve the perfect plant based diet in the Garden of Eden. Daniel and his friends believed that if they lived according to God's original plan they would
be blessed. Why? Because God created us and He knows what is best for us.
Daniel did not resort to some compensatory program. He did not say,
“Well I ate some meat and drank a drink that I shouldn’t, but if I count off 99 prayers I will make up for it.”
No, Daniel was true to principle. He risked his life for principle. As a result God blessed Daniel and showed everyone that He is particular and wants us to be faithful in both large and small matters.
God does reward right doing in this world. Sometimes we have to wait to see the results of that because God is also allowing evil to pursue its course. It is only after we see evil for what it really is that we can comprehend the goodness and wisdom of God.
Do you remember in the previous lesson, when the covering cherub Lucifer rebelled, that God did not destroy him right there and then? Since that moment, that fallen angel who became Satan has been permitted to tempt the people of this world. But just as God blessed Daniel for being true to the covenant and resisting Satan’s temptations, God will bless our lives with the peace of righteousness and the strength to resist evil when we remain true to Him. Consider the following situation:
Enver was on a business trip in Istanbul with several of his co-workers. After a kebap dinner, his coworkers invited him to a nightclub to have drinks and meet some girls.
“I am happily married, guys. You can go on without me.”
“We are happily married too, they said. We are just out for a little fun. Our wives don’t have to know.”
“Well, I cannot participate in your fun.”
“Mama’s boy” they all said. “Do you need permission to go out?” They teased.
But Enver would not budge.
“You can say what you want, but my commitment to my wife is stronger than your desire to get me to go to a club.”
Thus Enver went back to the hotel alone; he called his wife. They talked and were happy to hear each other’s voice.
The next day Enver was nearly finished with his breakfast in the hotel when his co-workers came down. Their eyes were half shut and red. They were making jokes among themselves about the girls they had danced with the previous night. Then one of the men's cell phones rang. It was his wife on the line.
"No, dear, we didn't go out to a club last night" he lied. "The reason I didn't answer my phone was because we were at a meeting and I left my phone on the charger in my room."
The man's face turned angry. "I am not lying. Why are you accusing me!" he shouted. "So you called the hotel to see if we were having a meeting that night! So you are following me around to check up on me..."
The atmosphere was tense and angry. Enver was so happy that he did not go to the club. He had nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, he was comforted by the serenity of his relationship with his wife.
Our covenant with God is like a marriage relationship. We are committed to God under all situations and conditions. We are committed to our spouses. If we break that commitment, even in our hearts or minds, we damage that relationship. We may be far from our spouses; they may not see our movements. But are we committed to them?
We don’t live in the presence of God in the sense that we do not see His form. But God does know our every movement. He knows if we are liars, cheaters or adulterers. Daniel was a man committed to God. Can you say the same thing about yourself? If not, then you can pray,
"God, help me to be a man committed to you in all areas of my life."
He will certainly answer that prayer.
Discussion Questions
1. If someone is rich are you comfortable to not pay him or her what you owe? Is the principle you act from based on the Word of
God?
2. Which do you think is more displeasing in God’s eyes, to not take off your shoes before you enter someone’s house or to cut in
front of them in line at the post of ce? Why?
3. Which is worse in God's eyes, to eat meat in which the blood was not properly drained or to tell a lie? Why do you think so?
4. If you tried to be good in all things, what kind of a reaction would you get from your family and friends? If it would be a negative
response, where would you get the moral fortitude to do what is right no matter what others think?
10 Leviticus ch.11
"If you can get away with it, do it."
It seems like very few people understand that there are reasons be- hind the prohibitions. Or perhaps obeying laws is just a matter of convenience to most people. What about God's instructions? Is God particular in His requirements or does He put them out there as a suggestion that would be good to follow if you have time or feel like it? Is He really not that interested in the details just as long as you make up for His requirements with some other compensating good deed?
In today's story we will look at our covenant relationship with God as it is carried out in practical life. It is in the every-day actions of life that our religion finds its expression, that the principles that motivate us find their application. We begin with a conversation between two men regarding some practical life situations.
Vural turned his glass bottom up and nished his last swallow of tea. He dropped the spoon into the glass with a clank as if to announce that he had come to a conclusion. He proclaimed,
“Kenan, I think you're crazy! You are too particular. You are losing a lot of money for nothing."
Kenan looked at his friend carefully. It was not the rst time that they had had this conversation.
"Why do you think that, Vural?" Kenan asked.
"Why don't you record half of your sales without a sales receipt? The value added tax is 18.5 percent. All that money goes to the government and you will never see any benefit out of it. Who knows how much of that money goes to buy summerhouses and Mercedes for government officials? I mean, isn't that really too much tax? And that isn't your only tax. There is stoppage tax because you are renting this shop and there is KDV tax and SSK quarterly tax and that does not include chamber of commerce bi-annual fees or insurance. Who can make any money with all these suffocating taxes and fees lingering over our heads? Just write down enough sales to make the tax office happy and do the rest under the table and make some money."
Kenan’s computer store was certainly not rolling in money. His was only one of many such small stores on that busy downtown street. Vural had described exactly what Kenan’s competition was doing. Beside himself, Kenan did not know anyone who operated his or her business completely within the law. Everyone was cheating on his or her taxes.
They would all say, “Well my machine is broken right now, I can’t give a receipt.”
Kenan responded to his friend, "Vural, from a nancial stand- point you are right. But money is not the only thing in life. I am not saying that money isn’t important. But is money there to serve me or am I here to serve money?"
Vural interjected, "I am not talking about being rich, I am talking about survival."
"I know, I know. It may be that I can't survive with my own store, that I have to close it, and go work for someone else. That is not what I want to do but it certainly is within the realm of possibilities. But what I am talking about is how I want to live. I do not want to go through life being a liar and a cheater. That is not the kind of person I want to be. I want to be a person of principle and character. And that includes my relationship with the government. I do not want to look upon the government as my enemy. While I am sure that there is graft and corruption in various places, all those taxes do provide socialized medicine, Social Security retirement, roads, schools, and the general laws that make the whole system work. If those weren't in place everything would be chaos. I want to support my country, not tear it down. Don't you love Turkey?"
Vural winced and said, "Yes of course I do, but I want to eat too. You can't make a living like this."
"Well, I haven't gotten rich yet, but I am surviving. Sometimes it is hard. But I want to trust God to meet my needs without having to go around the law to do it.”
"The government will not miss your money. They have plenty of money. It is you who are poor. Don't worry about it. Don't cut so many receipts."
"Is that it? If someone is rich I should not pay him or her? Carrefour and Kipa have money, so I shouldn't pay them because they are rich? You want me to use pirate software because Bill Gates does not need the money?"
"Definitely. Bill Gates is rich. You don't need to give him another kuruş!" Vural said raising his voice.
Kenan leaned forward to make his point more emphatic, "So according to you, I should not give anything to God either because He is richer than everyone, right?"
"Well that's different,” stuttered Vural. "We don't really give to God, we give to the poor or to our religion."
"How is it different? If our religious institutions are rich then we don't have to give. Isn’t that right? With that kind of thinking all societal structures would break down. Things work best when everyone does their share. So I pay my taxes. ”
Vural lit his cigarette and watched the smoke curl up into the air.
"I still think you're being too particular. You are poor and the government doesn't need your money. They have too much anyway."
"How can I tell you something about principle? For example, if some foreigner walked into the shop and offered you pig’s meat to eat, would you eat it?"
"No way!" shot back Vural. "That's disgusting!"
Vural curled up his nose as if the bad smelling meat was right in front of him.
"Why wouldn't you eat it?"
"Because it's forbidden,” Vural said icking the ashes from his cigarette to the floor.
"But why do you think it is forbidden? Is it because it is dirty? It has been washed and cooked just as much as any kokoreç."
"The meat itself is nasty. It is not fit for food."
"So you are saying that it is harmful to your body, is that right?" "That's right,” said Vural.
"And that cigarette you are smoking, I suppose you think that it's good for your body! And what about the rakı that you drink? What is that, organic health food?"
"Well that is different."
"How is that different? What is the principle? God revealed to man that swine's esh is not good for food. And under no circumstance would you eat it. You think it's lthy and dirty. And you would feel yourself unclean (murdar) before God if you should eat it. Why then would you think that smoking and drinking wouldn’t make you unclean before God? Don't they also destroy the body? And why do we think that eating swine's esh would make us more unclean before God than telling lies or stealing Bill Gates’ software? What kind of a tradition are we under where physical cleanliness supposedly recommends us to God more than moral purity? When did the idea come out that God accepts adulterers before pork-eaters?”
Vural was quiet for a moment. "I don't know, it just seems that way."
"It seems that way because tradition told us that, not because God's Word tells us that. God's Word tells us that eating muscles (midye) is just as unclean as eating pork. But on every seashore in Turkey, muscles are for sale to eat. Go look up God's command through the prophet Moses about what foods we could eat.10 You will see. But the question still remains, shall we live by principle or shall we do what is simply convenient? Shall we do right because it is right, no matter what the cost?"
Morals, food, tradition, covenant and principle are all important factors in this Bible lesson based on Daniel chapter 1. Let's start by reading verses 1-5:
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles,
4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.
As we see in these verses, the Ottomans were not the rst to make use of the talents of captured peoples. After conquering the southern kingdom of Judah, destroying Jerusalem, and taking thousands of people captive, the king of Babylon saw potential in the descendents of Judah’s king and other noble families to serve in his government. So, he placed them under the supervision of his of cials, took care of their needs, and trained them in the local laws, religion, language, and traditions for three years. Let's continue by reading verses 6-8:
6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not de le himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not de le himself.
Imagine that you have been captured and taken to a place hundreds of miles from your homeland. You are among people who worship idols. You are given a name that corresponds to one of those false gods as a way of in uencing you to give up your own religion and accept the gods of your captors. What would you do if you were offered pig’s meat and wine? Would you eat it and drink it?
“No!” you say, “I would be true to principle. I would not consume either one.”
Well you know how important it is not to offend your host and to eat and drink what is offered to you. Not to mention that you don’t have that problem right now in Turkey because everyone eats and drinks according to the same value system. But if you were miles away from family and peers living in Germany, would you make the same decision? Would you dare to be different? Let's see if Daniel follows through with his convictions in verses 9 and 10:
9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. 10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king."
Now the stakes are little higher. If Daniel refuses to eat the king's meat and drink his wine, it might offend him. He might even be killed. Under those two conditions, would you still remain true to principle, even if you lose your life? After all, you could think to yourself,
"Is it better to eat and drink something that I shouldn't and stay alive or refuse and die? What good is it if I am dead? Is it really worth risking my life over food and drink?"
But perhaps the issue is bigger than food and drink. Wasn't there also the issue of idolatry? In ancient cultures, the meats were tradi- tionally offered to idols. When a person ate those meats they were actually paying honor to the false gods. Surely, Daniel wanted no part in that kind of religious practice. Let's see what happened next in Daniel chapter 1 verses 11-21:
11 So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 "Then let our appearance be examined 131 before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants." 14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in esh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20 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. 21 Thus Daniel continued until the rst year of King Cyrus.
Daniel and his three friends would not compromise the principles of the covenant that God had laid out for them in the Torah. For Daniel and his friends, the principles of the Torah were not just rules and regulations. They were living principles. Daniel understood that to eat foods offered to idols would be considered participation in idolatry and of course he would not do that. Moreover, Daniel understood that eating foods forbidden by God was detrimental to his health. By staying true to principle, Daniel would be stronger mentally, physically and spiritually. He would be able to resist temptation and sin more easily because his body, brain and spirit were all interlinked.
Perhaps Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah remembered the story in Genesis where God had given Adam and Eve the perfect plant based diet in the Garden of Eden. Daniel and his friends believed that if they lived according to God's original plan they would
be blessed. Why? Because God created us and He knows what is best for us.
Daniel did not resort to some compensatory program. He did not say,
“Well I ate some meat and drank a drink that I shouldn’t, but if I count off 99 prayers I will make up for it.”
No, Daniel was true to principle. He risked his life for principle. As a result God blessed Daniel and showed everyone that He is particular and wants us to be faithful in both large and small matters.
God does reward right doing in this world. Sometimes we have to wait to see the results of that because God is also allowing evil to pursue its course. It is only after we see evil for what it really is that we can comprehend the goodness and wisdom of God.
Do you remember in the previous lesson, when the covering cherub Lucifer rebelled, that God did not destroy him right there and then? Since that moment, that fallen angel who became Satan has been permitted to tempt the people of this world. But just as God blessed Daniel for being true to the covenant and resisting Satan’s temptations, God will bless our lives with the peace of righteousness and the strength to resist evil when we remain true to Him. Consider the following situation:
Enver was on a business trip in Istanbul with several of his co-workers. After a kebap dinner, his coworkers invited him to a nightclub to have drinks and meet some girls.
“I am happily married, guys. You can go on without me.”
“We are happily married too, they said. We are just out for a little fun. Our wives don’t have to know.”
“Well, I cannot participate in your fun.”
“Mama’s boy” they all said. “Do you need permission to go out?” They teased.
But Enver would not budge.
“You can say what you want, but my commitment to my wife is stronger than your desire to get me to go to a club.”
Thus Enver went back to the hotel alone; he called his wife. They talked and were happy to hear each other’s voice.
The next day Enver was nearly finished with his breakfast in the hotel when his co-workers came down. Their eyes were half shut and red. They were making jokes among themselves about the girls they had danced with the previous night. Then one of the men's cell phones rang. It was his wife on the line.
"No, dear, we didn't go out to a club last night" he lied. "The reason I didn't answer my phone was because we were at a meeting and I left my phone on the charger in my room."
The man's face turned angry. "I am not lying. Why are you accusing me!" he shouted. "So you called the hotel to see if we were having a meeting that night! So you are following me around to check up on me..."
The atmosphere was tense and angry. Enver was so happy that he did not go to the club. He had nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, he was comforted by the serenity of his relationship with his wife.
Our covenant with God is like a marriage relationship. We are committed to God under all situations and conditions. We are committed to our spouses. If we break that commitment, even in our hearts or minds, we damage that relationship. We may be far from our spouses; they may not see our movements. But are we committed to them?
We don’t live in the presence of God in the sense that we do not see His form. But God does know our every movement. He knows if we are liars, cheaters or adulterers. Daniel was a man committed to God. Can you say the same thing about yourself? If not, then you can pray,
"God, help me to be a man committed to you in all areas of my life."
He will certainly answer that prayer.
Discussion Questions
1. If someone is rich are you comfortable to not pay him or her what you owe? Is the principle you act from based on the Word of
God?
2. Which do you think is more displeasing in God’s eyes, to not take off your shoes before you enter someone’s house or to cut in
front of them in line at the post of ce? Why?
3. Which is worse in God's eyes, to eat meat in which the blood was not properly drained or to tell a lie? Why do you think so?
4. If you tried to be good in all things, what kind of a reaction would you get from your family and friends? If it would be a negative
response, where would you get the moral fortitude to do what is right no matter what others think?
10 Leviticus ch.11