And so for ten days Daniel and his friends ate their special diet, even though this must have caused them embarrassment. No doubt they were served in a special dining area. Their fellow captives looked upon them as different, and what boy in his teens wants to be singled out as being different? The other trainees probably looked upon them as strange, perhaps as religious fanatics. Why would anyone in his right mind refuse to eat food fit for a king?
But Daniel and his friends experienced the truth that God stands by his children who refuse to violate their consciences by being disloyal to him. It seems nothing short of miraculous that after only ten days the four young men looked healthier and better nourished than the trainees who ate food from the king’s table.
Christ has told us, “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:31,33). We have our Lord’s solemn promise: “Christian, you put me first, and I guarantee you that you will lack nothing you need for body and soul.”
When the guard saw the results of the diet the young men had requested, he let them continue eating vegetables, although we are not told that he agreed to do this for the full three years. There can be no doubt that if he had noticed any change for the worse, he would have tried to put them back on the king’s diet in a hurry. And so the young Jews were able to eat their daily bread with a good conscience. In spite of the frowns they might have noticed as they left the dining hall, they could see that the Lord was smiling on them.