God gave Daniel favor.

Daniel 1:8-10, But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

Daniel and the other young men were taken away into captivity as those who were among the best of the best, and they were to receive the best food and education even in their captivity. These young men immediately establish their dependence on God refusing the king’s own diet operating under God’s favor. And the results confirm His hand is upon them, for they outshine all of the other advisors to the king by “ten to one” in matters of wisdom and understanding. And in their faithfulness, we also see that all were given gifts by God in “learning and skill in all literature,” and Daniel in particular was given the gift of “understanding in all visions and dreams.” As captives, they recognized their need and dependence on God and He supplied them abundantly even beyond their needs. Do we really seek to depend on God? What gifts does He release in us as we put our trust in Him and depend on Him?

We put all of our trust in You that You will give us favor and supply us with Your gifts in our time of need!

ESV Lectionary