The other side of the Lion’s coin
In superstar Christianity, which is an oxymoron in and of itself, Christians, preachers, artist, etc have been using an incomplete teaching of Daniel to justify fame, personal hedonism, status, etc. This blog aims to give clear tension and understanding to the other side of the Lion’s coin. In reading Daniel’s story there are main four areas to the other side of the coin that need to be considered.
1. Consider Daniel, he prayed at least three times daily, not out of piety alone, although he loved the Lord greatly but for need. The text shows that Daniel wanted to be seen publicly opposing Babylonian idol worship. He wanted there to be no confusion, my status brought, and will not, bring compromise. Daniel’s story shows that he was worn down from the debauchery, idol worship and paganism that was consistently before him. His high status brought him into a circle that daily contradicted the love of his soul therefore it was a necessity to pray this way in order to protect and cleanse his soul.
2. Consider Daniel, he prayed often and openly from a window, facing Jerusalem, FOR ALL TO SEE as a way of personal and public accountability. He blatantly wanted to communicate I’m not like you, there may be days my flesh wants to be, but we have different loves. He did this as a way to keep himself accountable by the world, his circle and the Lord. Daniel wanted all possibilities of secret sin eliminated.
3. Consider Daniel, he deflected glory to YAHWEH, navigating the high society of the Babylonian culture was more often distasteful than it was something he wanted and loved. Daniel purposely lived against the norm when it came to fellowship and lifestyle. Daniel did not eat the kings meat, in order to display a different perspective of God’s creation, seeing it to be used for sustenance not personal hedonism.
4. Consider Daniel, he cared about being successful in God’s economy. See the problem with the modern day application of Daniel is its taught as a passive way of, its okay to be famous. The point of Daniel’s story is not fame for himself but fame for YAHWEH, even at the death of his own life.The other side of the Lion’s coin is the den that emotionally none us really wrap our heads around that reality. Earlier I spoke on superstar Christianity being an oxymoron in and of itself. Christians have been heralding one side of the Daniel narrative which is dangerous, it allows one to have passive, personable and idols of pleasure, seek fame and think they can manipulate what God alone controls. Daniel was successful in God’s economy because he was willing to literally die for YAHWEH’s name to be exalted. The Lord blessed his faith, not only was he protected in the Lions den but King Darius, their version of the president times 10, passed a decree that all would fear the God of Daniel, God’s mission accomplished.
Daniel 6:26-28
26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for he is the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be to the end.
27He delivers and rescues;
he works signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
In closing we all need to see that Daniel never sought a platform, God literally handed it to him. You can not force or make shift a platform that’s only given by God, literally handed to Daniel by God. What side of the coin are you wanting, preaching, living, looking at and praying for. You can’t increase that which you have no power to create or expand. It’s all God, for his glory and the personal perks are futile.
The Lion’s Coin considerations
1. Protect and cleanse your soul OFTEN.
2. Publicly live in a way that keeps you accountable for everyone to call you out on overt and pet sins.
3. Ask yourself, “am I constantly keeping the things that are distasteful out of my daily diet so they remain that way?”
4.Be willing to die at all cost (culturally, physically, personally) to see God’s name exalted.
5. You can not create a platform, God has to give it to you.
6. God saw fit to exalt Daniel, Daniel was not looking to exalt himself.
So how do you balance this with the concept of closet prayer and not letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing?…
Good question. I think we may be talking about two different things. I am aiming toward those who use Daniel’s story as some passive way to make a name for themselves. Those who passively say “good Christians get exalted by the world and have huge platforms”. I would say Daniel’s life and call was unique, although all Christians are called to pray. I believed he did what he did because of the unique darkness of the situation. So I am not saying all Christians need to do what Daniel did, but I am saying all Christians who find themselves in a unique exaltation like Daniel’s, need to put some things in place or their soul will be overtaken by the world that they claim they want to change.