Day 9 — Ten Times Better

“To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom… In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.”

— Daniel 1:17, 20 (BSB)

Remember Daniel and his three friends? They were teenagers when they were taken far from home to Babylon. The king put them in a three-year training program to learn the language, writing and knowledge of the Babylonians. It was like going to school in a foreign country, in a language they didn’t speak very well.

That would have been hard! They could have given up. They could have done just enough to get by. But they didn’t. They worked hard and studied well. And look at what the Bible says: “God gave knowledge and understanding” to them.

At the end of their training, the king tested them himself. He asked them all kinds of hard questions. And he found them “ten times better” than all the wise men in his entire kingdom!

Daniel and his friends show us that school matters to God.

You might think school has nothing to do with your faith. Math, spelling, science and history seem like “normal” subjects, not “God” subjects. But everything you learn about is part of God’s world. When you study science, you’re learning how God made creation work. When you study history, you’re learning how God has worked through people and nations. When you learn math, you’re discovering the order and patterns God built into everything.

And your mind itself is a gift from God. Using it well is a way of honoring Him.

So what does this mean for you?

• Work hard. Give your best effort, not just the minimum.
• Ask God for help. Before a test or a hard assignment, pray! Remember, God gave Daniel understanding.
• Be honest. Don’t cheat, even if others do.
• Be patient with yourself. Not everyone is good at everything. God doesn’t expect you to be the best at every subject. He wants your best effort.
• Use what you learn to help others. Your education is a gift you can use to serve people someday.

Your schoolwork can be worship!

Think about it: What’s your hardest subject in school? How might you approach it differently if you did it for God?

Try this: Before you start your homework today, pray and ask God to help you understand and do your best.

Dear God, thank You for my mind and for the chance to learn. Help me work hard at school, not just for grades, but to honor You. When things are hard to understand, please give me knowledge and understanding, like You gave Daniel. In Jesus’ name, Amen.