I mentioned yesterday that Daniel’s ignoring the king’s injunction against prayer is an example of one of four possible responses to change. There may be others, but these are the four that I’ve come up with as observed in Daniel 1 – 6. When change is initiated, there are four ways we can respond. We can…

• Embrace the change
• Accept the change
• Ignore the change
• Resist the change

We can embrace the change. Yes! That’s a really good idea. Let’s give it all of our energy! Daniel responded this way with respect to “the literature and language of the Chaldeans.”

Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans…As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. (Daniel 1.3, 4, 17 – 20, ESV)

We can accept the change. Things are the way they are, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Daniel didn’t choose to be taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar:

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility… And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.(Daniel 1.1 – 3, 21, ESV)

Daniel was a captive in Babylon from when he was a teenager until in his 80s! Sometimes, acceptance is the only course of action.

We can ignore the change. We saw that yesterday in Daniel 6.

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. (Daniel 6.10, ESV)

Finally, there are times when we must resist the change. Daniel did not resist learning “the literature of the Chaldeans,” but he did resist the food they wanted him to eat.

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. (Daniel 1.8, ESV)

Daniel respectfully proposed a test that would allow him to stay true to his Jewish roots and protect the guy who was in charge of the captives. You can read about it in Daniel 1.5 – 16.

Four responses to change, and how do we know which to choose? Let’s explore that tomorrow.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1.5, ESV)