Daniel (Greek) 2:24-28: a reflection

24Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said this to him: “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon. Bring me in before the king, and I will show to the king the interpretation.” 25Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said this to him: “I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation.” 26The king answered Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?” 27Daniel answered before the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded can’t be shown to the king by wise men, enchanters, magicians, or soothsayers; 28but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these:

When Daniel is finally brought before the king to reveal and interpret the dream that had baffled all the wise men, he has a golden opportunity to take the credit, to present himself as the wise man who could do what no one else could. Instead, Daniel immediately deflects the glory to God. No wise men, enchanters, or magicians can show the king this secret, he says, but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king what will be. Before he interprets a word, Daniel makes clear that the wisdom is not his but God's.

Notice Daniel's instinct at the moment of his success. He does not grasp the credit that was there for the taking; he points past himself to God, the true revealer of secrets. He is careful to make clear that whatever he is about to say comes not from his own wisdom but from the God in heaven who reveals what is hidden. In the spotlight, with honor available, Daniel gives the glory to God.

That is a searching example for how we handle our own successes and gifts. When we accomplish something, are recognized, or are gifted in some way, the pull is to take the credit, to let others admire us, to bask in the glory. Daniel's instinct was the opposite: to deflect the glory to God, to make clear that what he had came from God, not himself. When you succeed or are praised, follow Daniel: give God the credit. Point past yourself to the God who gives every good gift, and let the glory go to him rather than grasping it for yourself. There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets; give him the honor.

Lord, when Daniel could have taken the credit for revealing the king's dream, he deflected the glory to you, saying there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets. Give me that instinct. When I succeed, am recognized, or am gifted, keep me from grasping the credit and basking in the glory. Help me point past myself to you, the giver of every good gift, and to make clear that what I have comes from you, not myself. Let the glory go to you rather than to me. There is a God in heaven; help me give you the honor.