When they were very young, Daniel and his friends were taken to a foreign land called Babylon. They were forced to change how they spoke, ate, and basically everything about their day-to-day lives. “Normal” was redefined – in a negative way. So much was unknown, and amidst all the physical changes, their faith was also about to be put to the test. Through this oppression, Daniel and his friends chose to live radical lives of faith in God, even at the risk of death. The story of Daniel shows the contrast between the world’s values (Babylon) and God’s values (Daniel & his friends). Daniel was under tremendous pressure to “fit in” and go along with things that opposed his faith in God, but because of his obedience, God protected Daniel and did miraculous things to bring glory to Himself. Even when all the odds were stacked against them, even when it wasn’t easy, they didn’t waver in their faith.
