But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. — Daniel 1:8 NIVResolve and Integrity — the inner decisions made before the battle begins
Young nobles, including Daniel, are taken into exile and royal service when Babylon conquers Jerusalem. Despite pressure to conform, Daniel resolves not to defile himself with the king’s food, and God honors his faithfulness, granting him wisdom and favor. Daniel and his friends rise above the rest, standing out for their integrity and insight. Resolve is the inner decision Daniel makes in advance to stay faithful or take a stand, no matter what challenges may come. Integrity and resolve kept Daniel whole in a world trying to pull him apart—from the king’s table to the lion’s den.
When I read about Daniel and his friend’s approach to food, I wondered if it had an application for me. For most of my life, I’ve had an unhealthy relationship with food. I’ve had to learn to “eat to live” instead of “living to eat.” I lost close to 40 pounds 18 years ago and have kept it off. One of the ways I applied Daniel’s approach is best understood in the example of McDonald’s French fries. (Can you smell them?) If I were going to eat out, I would decide what to order in advance. In my mind, it was resolved. Settled. When I failed to do so, I had no resistance to the smell of fries or the enticement of less healthy menu items. I had a plan for eating well, and I ran the play.
Inner decisions made in advance helped me get what I wanted more than French fries: better health.
Resolve has helped me build a life of increasing integrity. It can help us de-compartmentalize our lives and re-integrate them around the truth. We’ve been taught to divide our lives into sacred and secular, often listing priorities like this: 1. God, 2. Family, 3. Work, 4. Friends. But God didn’t design us to live in silos. He created us to be whole. All of life is wholly sacred, period.
Reintegration requires resolve—those daily inner decisions to keep the main thing Jesus and his Kingdom. In RTP language, this is the scorecard—the choices we’ve already made that shape a God-honoring day.
In the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ is the clearest example of a life of resolve and integrity. We aim to be his wholly integrated apprentices. Every day is a new opportunity to learn from him, resolve to follow him, and step into the work he prepared for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10).
Just like Daniel, Jesus resolved in advance to live with integrity, no matter the cost. And he invites us to do the same. In a fractured world, let’s choose wholeness.
Run the play—with resolve, with integrity, with Jesus.
“Inner decisions made in advance helped me get what I wanted more than French fries: better health.”
Finding Our Place in the Story
What decisions do I need to resolve in advance to stay faithful in the areas where I’m most tempted to compromise?
Where have I compartmentalized my life, treating some parts as “spiritual” and others as “secular”? How can I reintegrate those areas around Jesus and his Kingdom?
What “fries” in my life—desires, distractions, or habits—threaten to pull me off course, and how can I pre-decide to pursue what matters most?
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