How many people would have heard of Moses or Daniel if they would have lived for themselves instead of for God?  Moses would have been either an Egyptian royal or a sheep herder.  Daniel would have eaten steak and potatoes instead of asking for veggies and would have bowed down to the idol like everyone else.

Moses could have chosen to continue to lead the life of an Egyptian royal in the palace and possibly his tomb would have been discovered and a few people who care about Egyptian history would know his name.  Moses could have also decided to stay a sheep herder.  In fact he did tell God ‘no’ he didn’t want to go back to Egypt and lead the people.  He wanted someone else to do it.  But God persisted and Moses humbled himself rather than holding onto his foolish pride of his own ideas of how things should be done and with the power God provided led the Hebrews out of Egypt.

Daniel could have chosen to just quietly eat his steak and potatoes rather than ask to eat veggies.  He could have decided to bow down to the idol like everyone else to avoid being thrown into the fiery furnace.  Do we know the names of any of the people who ate the kings food that was set before them?  Do we know the names of any of the people who bowed to the idol? No!  But we do know the names of the young men who stood for right and obeyed God despite the threat of death.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:10

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 18:14