When Daniel was just 15, the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem, slaughtered many people, burned homes, left great destruction, and took many people captive. Daniel included. The Babylonians were ruthless. For the captives, they sought to take away their identity and make them purely Babylonian. They even castrated them for the royal service, making them unable to have children. The book of Daniel spans the 70 years of captivity and what we find is that Daniel remained faithful to his God throughout his lifetime. By the time chapter 5 rolls around, Daniel is in his early 80's and he is still being sought out to interpret dreams. He had gained great respect throughout Babylon, and he was still VERY respected in his old age.
People who have remained faithful to the Lord and the calling on their life are great role models for us. I admire them. It's not always easy to remain faithful, but this verse in Proverbs tells us that we are to remain faithful throughout our lifetime. Remaining faithful means that you hold onto your beliefs and values despite uncertainties and difficulties. You remain loyal and committed to God's Word and His commands. You are always influenced by the Word of God not culture. You will always choose the Lord EVERY TIME. His pathway is the only one you will walk on.
One popular speaker and influencer shares her story... she grew up in a Christian home and married a pastor. For years they pastored churches, taught God's Word, and worked together in ministry. Somewhere along the way, she began to be influenced by culture and began to question her faith and what she had been taught. Now, she leads people away from truth. Sadly, she has thousands of followers. I can't imagine how many have left their faith or adopted wacked out teaching because she has influenced them. She's a captivating speaker, but she has not remained faithful. And her story is more common than we even know.
On the other spectrum, there are MANY who have remained faithful. Listen to what it says in Revelation 2:10: "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." I know I want this crown so I will work hard at staying faithful to the One who gave His life for mine... the One who took my place. Hope this encourages you today.