The RenewaNation Review 2016 Volume 8 Issue 1 | Page 11

  So promising is Daniel that Nebuchadnezzar himself He applies his mental skills so he can live biblically. This appoints him to a three-year course in Babylonian culture too had come from somewhere. Most likely someone and language. At the end of this time, Daniel will serve the had modeled for Daniel how to think about life from the king in his court. perspective of Scripture and what it means to live for God.   Daniel, however, proves to be much more than a really Influence and Christian Education smart guy. He’s a young man with iron in his bones. When he Since this is the kind of young person I want to come from discovers that his education will require him to eat food that my home, this is the kind of influence I want to have on Scripture has forbidden, he takes a stand: “Daniel resolved my children. I want them to have a broad knowledge about that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the world: its history, its literature, its wisdom, its learning. the wine that he drank” (v. 8). But I don’t want them just to memorize facts about these  But how he takes his stand ends up being just as instruc- things. I want them to be able to think with them: to analyze tive as the stand itself. He doesn’t make demands of the that history, evaluate the literature, and to create new things Babylonians. He asks that the chief of the eunuchs give him based on that wisdom and that learn- a special diet. When the man objects ing. And more than anything, I want that such an action could endanger Children aren’t born them to think about these things his position before the king, Daniel “skillful in all wisdom, biblically so they can live biblically. I proposes a test. He asks to be given endowed with knowledge, want them to see all of life not from a a special diet for ten days. At the understanding learning. ” worldly perspective but rather from end of the ten days, the chief of the the perspective of Scripture. If a young person eunuchs will decide what Daniel’s   The kind of influence I have just possesses such things, diet should be. described is not the kind of influ- it’s because someone   You know the rest of the story. ence that can happen on a Sunday has taken the time and God gives Daniel favor before the morning or a Wednesday night. It effort to teach him. Babylonians and before Nebuchad- is an all-day, everyday kind of influ- nezzar himself. Before long, Daniel ence. It is not the kind of influence is one of the most powerful men in that concerns church and ministry the world—a power God allows him things only. It is the kind of influence to retain well into old age. that concerns all of life. It is, in other Lessons words, the kind of influence that The first lesson to learn from this familiar story is that some- only a school can exert. That’s the reason I’m committed to one—or a group of someones—had prepared Daniel for the Christian education for my children. To my way of thinking, prominence he later achieved. Children aren’t born “skillful it’s the best way to get a Daniel in this day of twisted think- in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding ing and corrupt living. learning.” If a young person possesses such things, it’s   If ever there was a day that needs the influence of young because someone has taken the time and effort to teach him. Daniels, today is that day. Who knows what our children   And this teaching was evidently much more than just may be called by God to do? Restore our nation? Perhaps. instruction in bare facts. Daniel knew how to think too. He But what if Jerusalem cannot be saved? Are our efforts in didn’t just refuse to eat the king’s food. Daniel proposed vain? No. A child who is prepared to live for God in Babylon a test that protected his immediate authority from undue can still change the world.  risk while enabling him to be faithful to God. To use the language of current educators, Daniel knew how to analyze, Dr. Bryan Smith has worked in Christian education for over twenty years. He has been a classroom teacher as well as a evaluate, and create. textbook author. Currently, he serves at BJU Press as the Bible Integration Senior Manager. In this position, he assists authors   Best of all, Daniel knew how to think and reason from and teachers in the work of integrating faith and learning in the Scripture. He analyzes, evaluates, and creates not so he can classroom. Bryan holds a Ph.D. in Old Testament Interpretation. He and his wife, Becky, have six children. get away with something or engage in some sinful pleasure. 11