When a Flannelgraph Comes To Life

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.”—Daniel 2:20, 22, The Voice

Long before I saw that Light, there was something about the life of Daniel that grabbed my attention. Maybe it was the mesmerizing Sunday School flannelgraph story (when many others seemed boring) of a young man who somehow managed to go untouched after being thrown in a lion’s den. “Woah, who does that?!” Maybe it was all-state chorus in high school, when two out of a dozen or so songs pertaining to Daniel stuck to my ribs—both of them spirituals, including one about his closest companions made famous by Louis Armstrong: “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.” In fact, Daniel’s legendary bravery and awesomeness were inspirations for naming our son after him. 

Somehow, many years after that day I saw the Light, Daniel remained pretty much stuck on a flannelgraph—a childhood hero of coolness. The pages of his Old Testament story were white and crisp. Until one day, someone suggested we start the year off by embarking on what is known as a “Daniel Fast,” which if you like to eat meat and pizza and ice cream is not the definition of coolness at all. The purpose was simply to follow Daniel’s example and detox of unhealthy things in body, mind, and heart, and use the time to draw closer to God rather than your dinner plate or any other rival affection.

From “Woah, who does that?!” was added “Who is this guy?” Inquiring minds needed to know, and to my joy and surprise, those clean, crisp Old Testament pages of Daniel’s story soon became a practical roadmap for this Walk more than 2,500 years later.  No longer just a flannelgraph hero, Daniel began to offer up all sorts of power bar nuggets for living (and you will, no doubt, find more than these) that can be carried along every step of the Journey...

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.” (Romans 15:4, Amplified)

1. Stay the good course of the narrow road. Above all else in his life story, Daniel was uncompromising in His love for God. He refused to pursue (ingest, if you will) the things the world says really matter. Instead, because you're His kid now, kingdom priorities matter, and here is one who has triumphantly gone before you as proof.
2. Live out loud beyond Sunday. Daniel didn’t only fast on veggies and fruit as a sign of his uncompromising devotion to God, but his whole lifestyle was fasted: his attitude, his integrity, his devotion and spiritual disciplines in the routine and stresses of each day were cultivated to be set apart for God. Sunday morning worship is great, but remember to use it as a relaunching pad for the next six.
3. Be relational, not religious. Daniel had an attractive regular rhythm of prayer and worship that seemed to be more like breathing in and breathing out rather than some type of churchy exercise. It was fire to his bones, especially when the going got tough. So, wherever you are, keep the Divine conversation flowing.
4. Be wise about who you run with. Daniel ran with likeminded uncompromising companions: the aforementioned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And his lifestyle was noted by friend and foe alike as one marked by trustworthiness, honesty, and reliability. These are the kind of words you want etched on your headstone.
5. Keep pointing Up, and building up others. Daniel walked out life in humility—he was a team player and not a glory-seeker. He lived in, and led others with, integrity. And he gave God alone—not his own wits or abilities—all the glory, all the time. If there were more of this, our culture wouldn't be in such a mess. But it always begins with one.
6. Cultivate leaving it all, big and small, in God’s hands. A no-brainer that needs frequent revisiting, and when the temptation to whine is strong, it’s good to be able to look at Daniel’s example of trusting God no matter what and no matter how bleak the circumstance. He was obedient to God regardless of cultural pressures, and what was really outrageous is that he practiced interceding for others—including those who were not very God-like at all, so that God would be glorified in and through them regardless.

“Woah, who does that?” and “Who is this guy?”

The answer can be found by looking in the mirror. Because like us, Daniel was far from perfect, but his story cheers us on by example that we, too, can not only see the Light and say we love God, but we can actually and regularly live out what we say we believe:

“And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. Similarly it would be silly to light a lamp and then hide it under a bowl. When someone lights a lamp, she puts it on a table or a desk or a chair, and the light illumines the entire house.You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me, and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it.” (Matthew 5:14-16, The Voice)

“There is a difference between what we believe and what we think we believe. You can determine what you actually believe and what you think you believe by observing what you do.”—Tyler Johnson