Students in a language and composition class at an Illinois high school were given the ultimate assignment—to change the world. That was their homework, and the students had to figure out how to do it. One group of students decided to spend time helping special needs children. Another group reviewed the school’s lockdown procedures to make them easier for the hearing impaired. Others found ways to serve in their community. In the process the youngsters learned that changing the world doesn’t necessarily mean impacting all 7.5 billion people at once. It means starting where you are and making things better for one person at a time.

That’s what Daniel did in Babylon; that’s what Jesus did in Roman-occupied Israel. And that’s what we’re all called to do.

Welcome the Times

The first step is to welcome the times. Daniel was just a teenager when he was exiled from his home in Judah, but he accepted the situation God ordained for him. Jesus was born in the days of Herod the Great when Rome was dominating Palestine. But those conditions were orchestrated by the God who sent His Son in the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4).

We’re living in difficult times, both politically and morally. The Western world is increasingly secular, much of Asia is dominated by Communism, and much of North Africa and the Middle East is Islamic. Even the little nation of Israel is threatened on all sides. In the United States and the United Kingdom, political unity has collapsed, and society is splintering. The Bible predicts that “in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1).

Yet in many ways, our times are no worse than Daniel’s or Christ’s. Every era of history is godless and gritty. Instead of feeling anxious about times like these, we should embrace them as the arena in which God wants us to work. He ordained our days in advance. He wants us to serve in these uncertain times.

Don’t Budge in Your Convictions

But we can’t be servants if our own moral fiber becomes frayed. One of the Bible’s first verses about Daniel tells us that even as a youth he purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled (Daniel 1:8). And at the onset of our Lord’s ministry He faced a set of satanic temptations, but He refused to yield (Matthew 4:1-11).

The devil knows our weak spots, and the world has a magnetic power that attracts us to evil. But we can’t budge in our convictions. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

Where are you most vulnerable? What habit needs immediate reformation in your life right now? There is power in purity. Our two great examples—Jesus and Daniel—could never have changed the world if their core convictions had collapsed.

Be Methodical in Your Prayer Habits

If you’re going to be a world changer, you must also be methodical in prayer. Consider this powerful verse: “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:10).

Our Lord also maintained a systematic prayer life. Mark 1:35 says, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” The Lord’s disciples were deeply moved by His patterns of prayer. They listened carefully as He taught them to enter their private rooms, close their doors, and talk to their Heavenly Father in secret (Matthew 6:6).

When they went out to change the world in the book of Acts, they were a band of praying men. Each of us has a different schedule, but our daily routines must be regulated by a steady custom of prayer.

Be a Tireless Student of Scripture

Prayer is only one side of our daily conversation with the Lord. We speak to Him in prayer, but He speaks to us through His Word. Daniel was a studious pupil of Scripture. He wrote, “I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet” (Daniel 9:2). It’s interesting to wonder if Daniel, as a child, actually heard one of Jeremiah’s sermons in person. It’s possible. But this we know for sure—Daniel acquired a copy of Jeremiah’s written sermons, and he studied the passages that spoke of the restoration of God’s people to the land of Israel (Jeremiah 25 and 29).

Can’t you just see Daniel poring over the scrolls at his table in his chambers, the windows opened toward Jerusalem, a torch lighting the words?

Likewise, the Lord Jesus Christ studied the Hebrew Scriptures thoroughly, understood them fully, obeyed them completely, and quoted them frequently.

If someone approached your house, how likely would they observe you through the window with an open Bible before you, poring over the Scriptures? How often do your friends hear words of Scripture passing from your lips?

Take Every Opportunity to Serve as the Lord’s Spokesperson

Perhaps at this point, you’re saying, “Wait a minute! None of these principles have anything to do with changing the world. Welcoming the times, being unmovable in my convictions, being methodical in prayer and faithful in Bible study—these are personal disciplines, not world-changing activities.”

Yes, but only changed people can change the world. The most important thing is who you are, not what you do. God blesses the efforts of those whose hearts are wholly devoted to Him. As you grow godly in the core of your life, you’ll find it increasingly natural to take every opportunity to speak and work for Him. You don’t have to preach to a stadium of seventy-thousand people; your opportunity might be with your Uber driver. You don’t have to travel to a distant jungle; there’s an immigrant family just across the street.

Tom Landis grew frustrated over the high turnover rate of employees in the restaurant industry. One day he studied the biblical passage about the disciples fishing all night without anything to show for it. Then Jesus told them to try fishing on the other side, and their nets filled with fish. Tom wondered what would happen if he tried “fishing on the other side,” in terms of business. To him, that meant hiring young people with special needs.

He opened an ice cream shop in Dallas dedicated to hiring young adults with autism, Down Syndrome, and other conditions. Many people with special needs are thrilled with work, they love people, and they thrive on repetition—just the qualities needed in food service. The venture has been so successful that franchises are starting to appear.

“The business world is probably the last place where we’re all sold out for Jesus,” said Tom. “The almighty dollar is sometimes more attractive than The Almighty.” But, Tom said, when we try to do something that an unbeliever seems to think makes little sense, “then you have an opportunity to tell that person about Jesus.”

Try fishing on the other side of the boat. Look around for needs you can meet, people you can serve, and conditions you can remedy.

Give God the Credit for Whatever Happens Through You

Finally, Daniel and Jesus teach us to give all the credit to the Lord. When Daniel found he was able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he said, “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You” (Daniel 2:23).

In a similar way, Jesus said, “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30).

The Lord doesn’t share His glory with another. As we seek to change our world one person at a time, it’s really the Lord Jesus doing the work, and all the glory belongs to Him.

You can influence our culture today more than you think. Don’t just sit around and gripe. Show up and make a difference. The Bible says, “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded” (2 Chronicles 15:7, NIV).

¹Tom Landis, “A Special Approach to Business,” The Christian Heart, November 18, 2019, https://www.thechristianheart.com/a-special-approach-to-business/.