Daniel, Prophet of Judah and … College Student?

The prophet Daniel provides a great example for college freshmen—particularly those who have moved away from home.

“What do you mean you’re not going to the party Friday night?”

“Are you sure you don’t want this bacon? You really don’t know what you’re missing out on!”

“You’re away from home now. You’re not really going to stick with all that hokey religious stuff, are you? Your parents will never know anyway, so loosen up some!”

Questions and comments like the ones above are a common experience for many college students. Those who live on campus are often dropped in the middle of an environment that isn’t always kind to religious beliefs, let alone beliefs that set you apart from everyone else on campus. There are many temptations that can arise when you’re away from home and trying to fit in or adapt to a new environment.

The Bible gives us a great example of another young adult who faced a similar situation.

Daniel’s “college” experience

In Daniel 1, we read the story of the kingdom of Judah being brought into Babylonian captivity. Young men were to be collected and brought to the capital to be trained and educated. At the end of a three-year training period, these men would be given jobs serving the king.

Outside of a guaranteed job upon graduation, this is similar to what colleges provide to young adults today—they were even given a meal plan!

So here’s Daniel, a young man from Judah brought to a foreign land to be educated. He’s to be given a portion of the king’s own food and wine. Best of all, he’s so far from home there’s no way his parents could know if he continued to follow those religious rules or not (archaeology suggests that Facebook did not exist at this time).

Daniel, if he had chosen, could have been free of all the rules that many might call a burden. Yet Daniel made an interesting choice and instead continued to follow God’s law, despite all that.

Doing the right thing

The chapter goes on to show how Daniel and three of his friends denied the temptations in front of them and continued to do the right thing. The book as a whole shows that Daniel continued to make the conscious choice to obey God all of his life, and he was blessed for it.

He did not always have an easy time living God’s way while in Babylon. He faced persecution, and this was certainly not the only time he was tempted. But he stayed faithful to the end, and God blessed him abundantly for it.

As the school year gets back into gear, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed and not sure how to face your temptations and trials. If that happens, think back to Daniel and how it must have been for him. You may find a kindred spirit and some inspiration in his story.

See these related blog posts:

• Not Just My Parents' Church Anymore
• Graduation: the End--or a Beginning?
• Dare to Lead
• Make the Call

Andrew Giddens is a college grad and a member of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in Springfield, Missouri.