Here we are with the changing of names. We see God doing this to Abram (Abraham), Simon (Peter), and Saul (Paul), signifying a new identity. Here, they're attempting to do this to Daniel and his friends, trying to change their identity from Jews into something new, something different, something foreign. They eat the food the king eats, which has been offered to false gods, and they're to be educated in foreign ways. The King of Babylon is trying to water down the culture of the Jews, changing them to be like everyone else.
It's a fine line we walk as part of culture. We engage with culture and we learn how to be in it, but we always have to hold on to who we are. We cannot give ourselves over completely to culture and lose our grounding in faith. We always walk as a people of faith in the midst of the world, letting the light of Christ shine in us and through us. We should be able to think critically about culture, to recognize the good and the bad, and be a thoughtful influence in the world around us. We can excel and succeed, but always led by faith first.
No comments:
Post a Comment