“At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.”
Daniel 1:15-21 NLT
Daniel had sought to distance himself and his cohort of Jews from the Babylonian way of doing things. Indeed, he took on the language, dress and responsibilities, but he refused to take on their methods of nourishment or relaxation. This was done in the best way possible. He chose a reasonable and respectful dialogue and here we see it paying off. Not only did Daniel and his men manage to be equal to those taken by the king, but they also outwitted those in the kings court. The king viewed them as being ten times as valuable. There is an important lesson and path for us in negotiations. If God is blessing our efforts, and if out efforts are aligned with our reverence for him, then our output has a value which is precious and rare. A chosen and stalwart slave that believes, can have the value of ten heads of state and experts in their field. God can make that happen. It is better for us to leave those things to him and to care for things we can control, such as the minutiae of our righteous day to day decisions. When we do, we are promised and exampled that all things work out good for those who love God.
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