Daniel was OKAY with Being Called a Magician

Don't turn a gnat into a camel...

"You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:24).

One of the clearest signs of a religious spirit is this very thing. Making something very small into something very big while neglecting the true big things. (See Matthew 23:23 for more...)

There are certain convictions that you may have more than other people do. And, that's okay! The biggest thing you need to remember is to listen for God for HIS leading for YOUR life, and not try to make that the SAME leading for EVERYONE ELSE'S life.

In the book of Daniel, we see that he was NOT OKAY with eating the King's food in Babylon (Daniel 1:8), but he WAS OKAY with being called "Chief of the Magicians" (Daniel 4:9). Many of the magicians were practicing dark arts and, as we saw in the book of Exodus - much of it actually worked! (Except Aaron's snake ate up the magicians' snakes!) (Exodus 7:12)

From one Christian circle to another, there are MANY MANY opinions. But we have got to learn to walk in freedom with God - for that is the very reason Christ died for us (see Galatians 5:1)! Let's be respectful of the opinions and convictions of other believers, but be true to what God is speaking to us and calling us to!

One more thing - we've got to learn to speak the language of Babylon if we are going to have influence in this culture. Daniel felt comfortable being labeled Chief of the Magicians, even though he could have probably had a lengthy discussion with them about why that's not actually his occupation - that he is in no way associated with dark arts but that his power comes from God. But we see no indication that he did. Yet at the same time, Daniel went to great lengths to not eat unclean food, which would go against his conscience.

Pray about if there are any gnats you are turning into camels, or vice versa in your life! And let other believers walk in the conviction and freedom to which they are called!