In 1981, “Elvis Presley Day” was declared in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Elvis Presley was only 19 years old when he began his singing career in 1954. Two years later, he was an international sensation. Over the span of his 23-year career, Elvis sold over one billion records worldwide, more than anyone else in record industry history. He received 14 Grammy nominations (won three), 149 of his songs appeared on Billboard’s Top 100 Pop Chart in America, and he won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award when he was only 36 years old. He starred in 33 successful movies and made history with his television appearances and specials. But of all his many accomplishments the one Elvis reportedly treasured the most was being named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation in 1970—an award based on outstanding personal achievement, patriotism, humanitarianism, and community service.

Had there been such an award given back in 553 bc, certainly Daniel and his three friends would have been shoo-ins. Consider their accomplishments. The four Israelites were deported to a foreign country where they were forced into the king’s service. Alone, serving an arrogant king who worshipped idols, Daniel “made up his mind” to remain obedient to God despite his circumstances. He refused to accept the king’s food and wine, and his friends followed his example. God blessed their obedience and gave these young men special skills and abilities so that they found favor with the king. So it was not surprising that of all the young men in his service the king chose Daniel and his friends as outstanding young men of the day.

You don’t have to become an internationally known pop star to be an outstanding young man or woman. All it takes is what Daniel and his friends did—trusting and obeying God in whatever you do.

In all matters requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, the king found the advice of these young men to be ten times better than that of all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom (Daniel 1:20).

To Do

Read the story of Daniel and his three friends in Daniel chapters 1-4. Write down as many descriptions as you find of ways in which these four young men were outstanding.

Also on this day . . .

National Bubble Bath Day

1958—Bobby Fisher won the U.S. Chess Championship for the first time at the age of 14.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.