Regarding the future leaders of Babylon, it is said that the king sought:

“…young boys… to whom the language and literature of the Chaldeans were taught” Daniel 1:4.

Daniel and his companions had been selected by the king to be part of Babylon’s future elite. These young people certainly had prerequisites mentioned in Daniel 1:4: wisdom, intelligence, and education. However, King Nebuchadnezzar deemed it necessary to further educate them so that they would be better equipped to serve him in the royal palace.

Talent will lead you into high spheres where you will be in contact with authorities. To succeed and feel comfortable in these environments, you must have a minimum level of knowledge in various fields. Many sports and music stars often find themselves obliged to attend evening classes because their intellectual level was not sufficient for the environments their talent has granted them access to.

I know a music star who is frequently invited to major international competitions because of his talent, but his difficulties with language are such that while his performances are appreciated, people prefer not to hear his opinions. It takes him nearly fifteen minutes to construct a correct sentence.

It is these sorts of issues that King Nebuchadnezzar sought to prevent. The preselected youth already possessed commendable gifts and graces, but he found it beneficial to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans. It is the responsibility of national leaders to establish structures in various sectors to prepare youth in their areas of interest while ensuring they receive comprehensive education.

Therefore, dear mentors, pastors, business leaders, and statesmen, you must do the same for the young people around you. Do not merely exploit their talents for your own benefit, as you are figures of authority to them. Instead, help them excel by teaching them things that will make them better and help them become true stars.

If you cannot do this directly, allocate financial resources so they can receive highly qualified training. I had the grace, without an MBA, to be trained by my mentor in several subjects within this framework. In less than a year, I saw my perception of managing people and affairs transformed.

Imagine Daniel interpreting the king’s dreams but with many errors. Despite having visions, he would have been seen as ridiculous. I think the same could have been true for Joseph. Consider what Pharaoh said to Joseph: “There is no one as discerning and wise as you” – Genesis 41:39. One reason why many church leaders are not respected by their countries’ authorities is because they struggle to communicate God’s message to these authorities while respecting grammatical rules.

Isn’t it because of the words that came out of his mouth that Solomon saw the Queen of Sheba come to him? King Nebuchadnezzar was a good mentor to Daniel. He had to pay for a three-year training program for Daniel and his peers before they could serve him:

“…wanting to train them for three years, after which they would serve the king.” Daniel 1:5.

We can recognize that a leader is destroying a young person’s destiny when, without providing training opportunities, they simply use them. Even if a young person is brilliant and useful to your organization, invest in their life by providing further education so they do not become a dry lake.

My mentor told me that, despite his brilliance, his mentor supported his training in prestigious institutions that offer quality leadership training. After learning, you must naturally practice, demonstrate what you have learned or what you know how to do. This is the law of service that we will see in the following chapter. But first, there is also your own commitment to learning…

This text is an excerpt from the book “Being Established in Glory” written by Tony-Branly NZIKOU.

We invite you to read the following article “The Full Awareness of What You Possess“.

The Role Of Authorities.