Biblical text: Daniel chapter 1
One of the things we need to not sin is to have self-control, is to have the strength of will necessary to say no to things that do not suit us and displease God.
For me one of the best examples in the bible is Daniel that means (God is my justice) and his friends; Ananias (God is merciful), Misael (Who like God?), And Azariah (strength of God), who changed their name as a sign that they were going to start a new life to be servants of King Nebuchadnezzar, so that they would leave back their customs and beliefs.
Many times people around us change their names or put nicknames, usually with a meaning in mockery and that somehow want to influence negatively in our lives, when that happens let's cancel those words and create what we God can do in each one of us and not make the plans that the world and the people want us to have, there are times that our family or friends want these plans to be carried out in our lives, but maybe those plans do not please you or have things that do not help in your life as a Christian. But the important thing is that wherever we are we do not let ourselves be contaminated by the things that the world offers us and that does not mean that we have to isolate ourselves from people who do not know about God, I do not mean to shut ourselves up in a bubble to the contrary, God has placed that grace in us to impact the lives of others, so that they also know him.
These young people had very special characteristics and it was that God deposited in them wisdom, intelligence, apart they were of good opinion and of the best families of the people of Judah, but they were also God fearing.
And Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the portion of the king's food, nor with the wine that he drank; therefore, he asked the chief of the eunuchs not to force him to defile himself. Daniel 1: 8 (Reina-Valera 1960).
King Nebuchadnezzar everything he did and had consecrated to his pagan gods, it is more when he conquered Jerusalem, took the utensils of the temple to place them along with the utensils of their gods, also did with food and pretended that everything that was his command will adore him and his gods. Also for this reason he had Daniel and his friends renamed; Beltsasar (prince of bel, who was the chief god of Babylon), Shadrach (illuminated by aku, god of the moon and devastation), Meshach (Who like aku?), Abed-nego (servant of nebo, god of the science).
But in spite of that, these young people remained firm in God and in what He could do, there are times when we let ourselves be confused and we forget that we have a great and strong God, we let ourselves be carried away by what anyone says and we makes God doubt; to please other people we do not have to be as they want us to be, rather that they are converted to us, God loves you as you are, the key is not in material things, nor in acting like them, and we are like they to feel good, you do not need that, God has placed his grace in you.
look what happened with Daniel, he asked the head of the eunuchs to only feed him vegetables and water, after that compare his appearance, with that of the other young people who fed on the food that the king gave them , and that after ten days their faces were better, they looked more robust than the others, in fact those that made them different was not only eating vegetables and drinking water, obviously we should feed ourselves well and take care of what we consume, we must take care of our body as it is a temple of the Holy Spirit; the difference was that they had self-control, they obeyed, they found grace before God, they proposed not to contaminate themselves, they were with the king but they did not have to be like the king, or do what he did, they made a difference, They honored God, showed him firmness and He honors those who honor him.
So do not be afraid to do the things that God likes, no matter that others reject you, we have to act as children of God, we are not all equal, that grace is what makes us different, the seal of God, that from now on we can notice in our attitude that we are full of Him, let us show His love to others, even if all rise up against you.
Do not stop being what God has said you are, To please others!
"And the king spoke with them, and not all of them were found among them, such as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; thus, they were before the king. In all matters of wisdom and intelligence that the king consulted, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his kingdom.
Daniel 1: 19-20 (Reina-Valera 1960)