Don’t Look at Me!

I read an interesting story today in the book of Daniel. In the story, King Nebuchadnezzar (let’s call him King Neb for short) had a strange dream. He saw an enormous tree whose branches touched the sky. This tree was full of fruit, gave shelter to the beasts of the field and the birds of the air flocked to its branches. Sounds like quite the tree!

King Neb saw a “holy one” come down from heaven and order the tree chopped down to the stump. The holy one ordered the stump to be drenched with dew and bound with iron and bronze. He then commanded that the tree’s mind be changed from that of a man to that of an animal for seven years.

What a strange dream! Only Daniel knew what it meant, and he was pretty sure King Neb did not want to know the answer. After some deliberation, Daniel uttered the fateful words, “You, O king are that tree!” It must have taken some courage and maybe a little stuttering to get those words out!

Daniel warned the king that unless he turned from his sins and acknowledged God, this dream would become a reality for him. Do you think he was smart enough to listen to Daniel and change his prideful ways? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

One year later, the king was walking on his roof at the palace and if you can believe it, these are the words that came out of his mouth, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Have you ever heard so many “I’s” and “my’s”?

The words were still on his lips when a voice from heaven announced that King Neb was being stripped of his royal authority. He was driven out to the middle of nowhere and he actually ate grass like a cow. His body was drenched with dew, his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. It sounds like Grizzly Adams had nothing on him!

When the seven years were over, King Neb came to his senses and honored the Lord. He praised and glorified and exalted the King of heaven. He came to the realization that everything he had came from God. He also admitted, “Those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”

This story is a good reminder that all good things come from God. We’d be wise to remember this and to give praise where praise is due! If there is anything good is our lives, if we have any talents or skills, if we’ve been blessed in any way, then we need to give the glory to God. In other words, we should say, “Don’t look at me; look at God!”

If only King Neb would have stood on his roof and said, “Look at God, for He has blessed me,” instead of “Look at me and all the great things I’ve done,” he would have saved himself seven years of living like a wet, deranged cow.

Scripture: Daniel 4

Prayer: God, You alone give me what I need. Sometimes You give me more than I need and I want to thank you for Your many blessings. I realize that You have given me everything good in my life and that all blessings are from You. I want to praise, exalt and glorify You, the King of heaven, because everything you do is right and all Your ways are just.