Different is Good
Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of “different” people in this world? There are people with strange ideas, unusual clothing, odd talents, and different personalities. While the goal of the Christian is not to be weird, the goal of the Christian should be to be different from this world.
Daniel was a young man who was different. He was taken to a strange place, given unusual food, and instructed with a new set of ideas. It seemed like everyone in Babylon was going along with this system, including the Jewish captives who should have known better. In Daniel 1:8, Daniel made the decision to be different from the crowd. He was more interested in pleasing God than in pleasing people.
As a Christian young person, you will be faced with the same choice. You can either fit in with the world, or you can stand out for Jesus. I Peter 2:9 reminds us that we are a “peculiar people.” We have been chosen and purchased by God; therefore, we are supposed to be different.
Daniel was different in many ways. Here are four areas in which Daniel dared to be different.
- Appetite
Daniel wouldn’t eat the king’s meat or wine. His appetite was different. It is so important that we develop an appetite for spending time with God, being faithful to Him, and living in accordance with His Word.- How much time do you spend every day on Facebook?
- How much time do you spend every day playing sports?
- How much time do you spend every day watching TV/DVDs?
- How much time do you spend every day reading your Bible?
- How much time do you spend every day praying?
- How much money do you spend every week on yourself?
- How much money do you give every week to the Lord?
- Attitude
Throughout Daniel’s entire life, he maintained an excellent spirit. It’s easy to have a good attitude when everything is going your way, but everything was not going Daniel’s way. When everyone else would have become bitter, Daniel became better.- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your attitude towards your parents?
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your attitude towards your siblings?
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your attitude towards your friends?
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your attitude towards your pastor?
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your attitude towards your youth pastor?
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your attitude towards your teachers?
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your attitude towards your coaches?
- On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your attitude towards your employer?
- Associations
Daniel was definitely the leader, but he had friends that were willing to stand with him and do the right thing. Your friends will make you or break you. List your 10 closest friends.
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The friends who help you spiritually should stay on the list. If there are friends on this list who do not help you spiritually, you are going to have to distance yourself from these people.
Evil communications corrupt good manners.
(I Corinthians 15:33). - Actions
It is one thing to talk about doing right, but it is quite another to do right. Daniel “purposed in his heart,” but he also paid the price of doing right. Eventually, he was thrown into a den of lions – not because of what he talked about, but because of what he actually did.- Do you do right when you are all alone?
- Do you do right when you are with your friends?
- Do you do right when you are at school?
- Do you do right when you are at work?
- Do you do right when you are on a sports trip?
- Do you do right when you are on the computer?
- Do you do right when you are text messaging?
- Do you do right when you are watching television?
The next time you want to be like everyone else, remember that different is good.