Deciding in your Heart
8But Daniel made a firm decision that he would not pollute himself with the king’s best food or wine, so he asked the chief of the eunuchs for permission not to pollute himself. — Daniel 1:8 (from my TFBV project)
Literally, the words about Daniel’s decision read, “Daniel set in on his heart that . . .” You may be familiar with the King James Version, “Daniel purposed in his heart.”
What is the purpose of your heart? We’re very conscious of public image, of what people think of us. People put a great deal of effort into controlling what people think of them. The problem is that the things we do publicly are so much subject to change as our public change. Are we with our friends from church? Drinking and four letter words are out! Are we with our buddies down at the bar? Drinking and four letter words are required! Are we with people who are rich and famous? All those low-life morons who don’t make the right amount of money and aren’t in our social circle can just get out of thought and sight. Are we with unpretentious, ordinary people? Those rich bigots need to be brought down a notch or two!
Do you read the same books and watch the same shows no matter who is there to see and question you? Or does the TV remote almost have the habit of switching to a Christian channel when your pastor or a church-friend visits, but to something more “entertaining” when your work colleagues show up?
What we make the firm decision of our heart–inside of us–is what really counts.
What do you really think about drinking? Can you interrupt your holy church friends who are condemning someone for having a glass of wine with dinner, or having a beer and relaxing with their friends and tell them, “Let’s not judge! I think it’s OK to drink when it’s done appropriately and in moderation?” Can you tell your friends in the bar, “I think we’ve had enough. It’s time to stop?” (I’m not trying to tell you what your decision should be, just that it should be the same, no matter where you are.)
Can you occasionally poke a hole in the pretentiousness of your rich friends, and ask them to think about things that are more important in life than bank balances and social position? Can you tell your not-so-rich friends that judging people just because they have money is also bigotry? Can you stick with that even when they accuse you of betraying them? (Leviticus 19:15 speaks of favoring neither rich nor poor.)
What is the decision of your heart?
