A transcendent life purpose is essential to leading well as a Christian in the marketplace. We cannot lead the way God intended if we don’t have a set of core convictions about our life purpose that extends beyond our vocation. Without deeply held beliefs, you’ll negotiate away too much of yourself when normal business pressures and uncertainties come your way.
From a leadership viewpoint, the book of Daniel starts with him showing firm conviction at a young age. They were to learn the Babylonian literature, which was extensive. Babylonian religious beliefs were undoubtedly part of this. They were to be fully assimilated into the culture and wisdom of the Chaldeans, so they could serve Nebuchadnezzar, who did not reserve prominent government service only for Chaldeans or ethnic Babylonians. He pooled the best brains and abilities into his government as he conquered nations regardless of individual ethnicity.[1] But to incorporate such talent into his government, he first had to assimilate them into his beliefs and culture. The idea of multiculturalism—where all cultures and beliefs are morally equal—would have never seen the light of day under Nebuchadnezzar.
The phrase in verse 8, “Daniel resolved[2] not to defile himself with the royal food and wine,” concerned having contact with unclean meats or meats that had become contaminated with heathen worship.[3] In addition, recall that Jewish dietary laws did not prohibit wine. So when Daniel combines meat and wine in the same thought, it is reasonable to conclude that some of his resolve may have come from his instinctive revolt against the program of total assimilation he was facing. “At this point, the Babylonian government is exercising control over every aspect of their lives. [Daniel and his friends] have little means to resist the forces of assimilation controlling them. They seize on one of the few areas where they can still exercise choice as an opportunity to preserve their distinct identity.” [4]
This is not the first time we find forbidden food at the center of a story. For example, Satan successfully tripped up Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden by enticing them to eat the forbidden fruit. Eating forbidden fruit came with a very high cost.
While we don’t have any forbidden foods in our modern Christian circles today, we often disconnect what we eat from our holiness and covenant with God. We don’t have dietary laws similar to those in the Old Testament, yet we often ignore that our eating habits affect the quality of the temple (1 Corinthians 3.16) in which we live. We must remember to submit our eating habits to the Lord to ensure we don’t render ourselves ineffective. Overconsumption of food is a stronghold (2 Corinthians 10.4-5) for many American Christians. Satan can derail a growing Christian on fire for the Lord through gluttony.
For Daniel to have this type of resolve, several things must have been true. We will explore these elements in this lesson and the following two lessons. In this lesson, we’ll focus on Daniel’s identity.
We are given clues inside the book of Daniel, which show that he firmly grounded his identity in Yahweh. First, in Daniel 2.23 (ESV), he refers to God as the “God of my fathers”:
To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.
In Daniel 6.22 (ESV), Daniel says:
My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him.
Notice in 2.23 that Daniel connects his pedigree with the God of his ancestors. Essentially, he says, “God was with my fathers—He disclosed himself to them. He rescued them from bondage. They trusted and walked with him. They devoted themselves to him. This is my ethnic and familial heritage. This is also my spiritual heritage. I am like them. I am a follower of Yahweh.”
Second, in Daniel 6.22, as Darius learns Daniel is alive after spending the night with hungry lions, Daniel refers to God as “My God.” God wasn’t just a god. He was “my God.” By comparison, after Daniel interprets the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in the second chapter, it is clear that Daniel’s interpretation impressed the Nebuchadnezzar, but hadn’t yet submitted himself to Yahweh, because he uses the phrase “your God”:
The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery. (Daniel 2.47 ESV)
Yet after his santity was restored to Nebuchadnezzar, he lost the phrase “your God” and instead exalted God directly, himself:
But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does what He wants with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can hold back His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?” 36 At that time my sanity returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and even more greatness came to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven, because all His works are true and His ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride. (Daniel 4:34-37 HCSB)
While it’s not recorded that Nebuchadnezzar used the phrase “my God,” the strength of his exultation of Yahweh shows he had identified himself with Yahweh in more than an intellectual sense: he had given his heart and allegiance to God. He identified himself as a follower of Yahweh.
When we establish our identity in our covenant relationship with God, we will use phrases like “my God,” and we will praise and exalt him, similar to how Nebuchadnezzar did. When we say that something is mine, we either claim ownership or allegiance to that person or thing. For example, you say “my wife” because you’re married. You say “my son” or “my daughter” because they are your children. You say “my church” or “my business” because your life and identity are connected to those organizations.
Suppose I were to call Kathy (my wife) “the wife” instead of “my wife.” That would insult her. I don’t say “the son” or “the daughter” when talking about my children. That Daniel refers to Yahweh as “my God” shows his identity is with God.
Many in our society gound their identity in their ethnic or racial heritage. I’ve met more than a few Christians who believe our Christian faith cannot be separated from our race because our faith has been so deeply and irreversibly corrupted by our racism. They will suggest that Christians of different races have an inherently different faith because they have a naturally unique matrix of life experiences because of the effects of racism in our culture. When I suggest that our faith is common across all races, I’m told my thinking is an example of racism. For many, being white, black, Asian, Hispanic, or another race is at the core of their identity.[5] Their faith in God is secondary in their identity.
Some Christians connect their political philosophies so closely with their faith that the two are nearly indistinguishable. The problem is not so much that they hold strongly to a political set of beliefs. The problem is that their beliefs essentially add commands to Scripture. They have a very difficult time identifying only as a Christian. They find the church inadequate to take on the challenges and difficulties of our time. They firmly believe that the solution to our societal problems is found in the political process, not in advancing the church. They identify as much, if not more, as a Republican or Democrat (or some other party) than they do as a follower of God. These people pollute the church with an unhealthy political ferver and deny the power of God to change entire societies through those who are committed to him.
But identities are not just connected to race. Success breeds its own kind of identity. I’ve met several highly successful men and women nearing the end of their lives who started with nothing and are now worth well over $50M—a few over $200M. What I’ve learned is that for many of them, their identity is so completely tied to their public persona as a founder or owner of a successful business that A) they struggle to imagine having any other primary identity, B) they have a challenging time engaging in a succession process because they honestly do not know what they would do if they retired, and C) their relationship with God is usually a compartmentalized part of their life. They are comfortable with the box they have put God in. But they do not identify themselves first or primarily as a follower of Yahweh.
Identity helps us answer basic life questions, such as “Why am I here?” and “What is my purpose in life?”[6] Identity is formed both on how we view ourselves and feedback we gain from others as we go through life. Identity involves both our character (who we are) and our conduct (what we do):[7]
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. (Proverbs 27.19 NIV)
When our conduct is incongruent with our character, we become unstable and lack effectiveness in our leadership (James 1.8).
Some ground our identity in how we’re different from others:
Personal identity is about how you see yourself as “different” from those around you. Hobbies, education, interests, personality traits, and so on. Favorite foods, the roles you hold—“I’m the oldest in my family.” These are the things that make you unique from other people.[8]
But identity must be more than just understanding how I am different from others around me. Our values must also be foundational to our identity.[9] Many either don’t or won’t admit that our values ultimately come from our beliefs about God and our relationship with him. What we believe about God directly affects our morality. And our moral code functions as the guardrails for what we may do in life and determines what we pursue.
Moreover, how we lead in business (and in life) will reveal the quality and depth of our acceptance of God’s laws as foundational for our values. And it’s unavoidable that our leadership will help form the moral identity of those we lead.[10]
The Scriptures tell us that when we place our faith in God, he expects us to change how we think about ourselves. We are not who we once were[11] because of our new nature:
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NIV).
Some Christians in business experience confusion about who they are because they lack a biblical understanding of what determines their identity. They identify as more as a Vice President or engineer or attorney or accountant or some other business title or credential than they do as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
It’s interesting to pay attention to how we talk. When I meet someone new, I’ll ask, “what do you do for work?” Some will respond, “I am a <insert_title_here>.” For example, “I’m an accountant.” Those who first identify with God and then their vocation will respond with something like “I work as a <insert_title_here>.” The difference is small yet profound.
I will suggest that the less our identity is tied to Jesus Christ, the less resolve we will have at those times when we are tempted to deny our faith. Daniel didn’t have this problem because he didn’t lack clarity about his identity. He was first a follower of Yahweh. He didn’t love God because of his obedience; he obeyed the law because he loved God. Obedience to the law was about demonstrating his love for God. His identity was so tightly connected to God that it was unimaginable for him to set aside obedience for the sake of expedience.
Take a moment to be honest with yourself. When you think about yourself, what first comes to mind? How do you identify yourself? Do you hide your allegiance to God when it is convenient for you to do so? If so, are you really faithful to God? Before you move onto the next chapter, please take some time in prayer and ask God about your identity. Then follow what you hear from him.
[1] Archer, 32
[2] resolved: עַל־לִבּ֔וֹ; on one’s heart, set upon his heart. This phrase in the Hebrew text occurs only four times. Twice in Exodus 28.29-30: “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord…Thus Aaron will always bear the names of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.” Jeremiah 44.21: “Did not the Lord remember and call to mind the incense burned in the towns of Judah…” Some exterior element is enough important that it is connected to the “locus of one’s thoughts, volition, emotions and knowledge of right from wrong, understood as the heart” (Logos). Resolved, ESV, NIV, LEB, Tanakh; purposed ASV, KJV; determined HCSB; made up his mind NASB.
[3] Archer, 35
[4] Matthews, Daniel 1.8
[5] Here is an example: I’m Jewish and black – where do I fit in? Nadine Batchelor-Hunt. December 27, 2021. bbc.com
[6] John Locke on Personal Identity. Namita Nimbalkar, Ph.D. Mens Sana Monograph. US National Library of Medicine; National Institutes of Health. Ncbi.nlm.nig.gov. Article number PMC31015296. Jan-Dec; 9(1): 268-275
[7] Hunt, June. Biblical Counseling Keys on Identity: Who Are You? Do You Know Who You Really Are?. Dallas, TX: Hope For The Heart, 2008. p. 1.
[8] Personal and Social Identity: Who you are Through Other’s Eyes. Suzanne Degges-White, Ph.D., psychologytoday.com. October 15, 2021.
[9] Values as the Core of Personal Identity: Drawing Links Between Two Theories of Self. Steven Hitlin. Social Psychology Quarterly. 2003, Vol 66, No. 2, 18-137.
[10] An Identity Perspective on Ethical Leadership to Explain Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB): The Interplay of Follower Moral Identity and Leader Group Prototypicality. F.H. Gerpott, N. Van Quaquebeke, S.N.Schlamp, S. Voelpel. Journal of Business Ethics. June 10, 2019. Vol. 156, Num. 4, 1063-1078.
[11] Trending Faith: Does Faith Change our Identity? Jason Hiles. November 22, 2017. Grand Canyon University Blogs. gcu.edu/blog.
