Relating to a dead pagan

In the biblical and historical account found in the book of Daniel, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar is portrayed for the most part as not-so-good guy. Chapters 1-4 of Daniel are an intriguing account of the works of God directed toward the most powerful ruler on earth to bring him to bow before the Creator of the universe.

In the last of the 4 stories the king has a dream which is interpreted for him by Daniel. And it's bad news for Neb. The dream makes the prediction that if he doesn't humble himself before God he'll spend "seven times" (months/seasons/years - we're not sure) as a crazed lunatic, living with wild donkeys and eating grass.

As Daniel finishes revealing the meaning of the dream he does a little "preaching", and advises the king to do three things:

• Turn from your sins;
• Do what is right;
• Be merciful to the poor.

It seems to me that the first two are the action of repentance. He has to change his mind about his previous behavior, recognize that it was wrong and do the opposite. And specifically for this man the opposite was to show mercy to the poor in his kingdom. My hunch is that his greatest flaw as a man was in using and abusing the poor for his own gain. That's why the prescription was to be merciful to them.

It's also my hunch that everyone has one particular character flaw that we either can't or won't shake. One biblical writer called it "the sin that so easily besets us". We might not be murderers or adulterers or thieves, but likely we're something else and whatever that something else is, it batters us over and over.

For me it's insensitivity. After 41 years (as of today) of being a Christ-follower I'm finally coming to grips with it. What is it for you? It makes no difference really. And the solution to overcoming that flaw is the same for me, for you as it was for Nebuchadnezzar: Turn away from it; do the opposite and demonstrate that the change is real by what you do instead.

Next time I act like Don Rickles please call me "Neb". I'll get the point.