GLEANING FROM DANIEL’S DIARY - By Adebayo W.

So Daniel was a hero in his generation, a prophet that transcends many generations; an intellectual par excellence, an embodiment of conviction and integrity. And you wish you could be another Daniel. Of course the old cliché is true that if wishes were horses’ even beggars would ride. It is pertinent to note that life does not respond to men’s wishful thinking, it responds to your will power to pay the price to win the prize. As we all aspire to make the most of our lives and make positive impact in our generations and beyond, we must realize that there are certain secrets that distinguish men of purpose and destiny from those who just walk the surface of the earth without leaving a mark. Come with me as we glance through the dairy of Daniel.

As I went through the diary of Daniel, I discovered some things that distinguished him in his generation from the average achievers. I will do my best to summary some of those salient points in this piece.

Daniel succeeded to the degree to which he did because he understood who he was. He knew he was different; he could not just eat anything because every other person is doing the same. He is a Jew and even though in a foreign land, he must maintain his identity. Jews do not just eat anything, certain foods were forbidden for them to eat as part of the ceremonial laws which God in His mercy has done away with in Christ for the New Testament Christian. Self-discovery is vital to being a success and making maximum impact.

Our generation today is filled with men who do not understand who they are. If you do not know who you are, it becomes easy to be lost in the crowd. You need to discover who you are to be different. Today, too many activities with little or no benefit to a man’s overall destiny exist. The social media, sport fanaticism, the internet with all the social vices entailed with it presents men with a lot of time wasting activities. Knowing who you are brides discipline and discipline is very essential to destiny fulfillment. Come to think of it, only a man of destiny who has discovered himself will give up the opportunity to partake of a royal meal and drink. It takes men and women of destiny to shun the vices and immoral lifestyle that is prevalent in our generation. Daniel’s friends must have mocked him, and possibly called him names but because he knew who he was he stuck to his purpose. You need to prayerfully discover who you are. You are unique and specially crafted for a unique purpose. You have a place in the overall scheme of God’s purpose for the earth so live your life on purpose. Fulfillment and satisfaction in life comes with living your purpose.

 

A positive purpose of heart leads to positive action. Daniel purposed not to defile himself and the purpose in the heart led him to speak to the prince of the Eunuch and afterward Melzar, so that he can actualize his goal. Today, nudity, immoral relationships, modernized gambling and many other social vices are on the increase and many are engulfed in the ocean of these activities. A purposeful heart will guide you and empower you to take actions that will help you see your dreams through.

Mind the company you keep is always the advice of caring parents to their children. This goes to show the importance of your companion on life’s journey. Daniel had the right company in Babylon, Meshach, Abednego and Azariah were the right companion Daniel needed to keep focus on his destiny journey. They help re enforce his faith, support his passion and sustain his vision. If you want to go far on life’s journey, you need to move with the right company.Men of destiny are very careful in the choice of their friends.

Another thing I understood from the life of Daniel is the fact that he was very knowledgeable. He was vast in knowledge. The bible recorded that when he and his friend stood before the king, in all that the king asked them, they were ten time better than all the magician in all his realm. To be knowledgeable you must be studious, therefore Daniel and his friends were studious. Men of purpose are “book men”, they read because they understand that certain secrets of life are hidden on pages of books and by it many great minds both dead and alive communicate. It is often said that readers are leaders.

To excel in any chosen field of endeavor, you must become an avid reader. Knowledge distinguishes men and set them apart from their peers. Daniel was able to understand that the duration of Israel’s captivity in Babylon has elapsed because he studied. To know the world around you and the vast opportunity it presents you, you need in-depth knowledge.

TO BE CONTINUED……