So now the Medo-Persian Empire was ruling…
The Bible tells me Darius the Mede chose Daniel and two other administrators to supervise and protect the interests of the king. Daniel had soon proven himself to be more capable than all the other administrators and officers he was working with. And because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him in charge of the entire empire.
Daniel was more capable and more efficient at things than his co-workers were. He was in a workplace where nobody else believed in his God, but he attracted the attention of the pagan king and earned his respect. Now I’m sure some of you out there can relate…you work with a bunch of non-Christians. One of the best ways to influence your non-Christian coworkers, and especially a non-Christian employer, is to work diligently and responsibly. I wonder how well God is represented to others at your place of employment?
Here’s Daniel’s problem… Jealousy! He made enemies at work by doing a good job. Backbiting happens when you excel in something. It’s a fact of life that not everybody is happy for you when you succeed. Some people may look for ways to tear you down or hold you back. But how do we deal with those who cheer at our downfalls and even try to slow us down and prevent us from surpassing them? The Bible tells us to conduct ourselves above reproach. By doing this we’ll have nothing to hide, and no one will be able to make any legitimate charge against us. This won’t always save you from attacks, but like Daniel, we have to rely on God’s protection…
“So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, ‘Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.’ So King Darius signed he law.” Daniel 6: 6-9
These guys are creeps! They couldn’t find anything about Daniel to criticize, so they attacked his religion! So take this to heart…If you face jealous critics picking apart your faith, you can be glad they’re criticizing that part of your life—because, as we learn here, maybe they are focusing on your faith as a last resort! Respond by confidently living out your faith and beliefs. Remember, God is in control, and He sees everything you endure. You can be sure He’s working behind the scenes, in ways you don’t see.
And now, these conniving men talked Darius into signing a law that essentially made him a god for thirty days. This law couldn’t be broken—not even by an important official like Daniel!
“But when Daniel had learned the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows opened toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. ‘Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?” Daniel 6: 10-12
Daniel had a disciplined prayer life. This is an example for us… Our prayers are usually interrupted, not by threats, but simply by the stress and pressures of our schedules. We cannot let the pressures of life, or the pressures of our schedules cut into our time alone with God. He truly is our lifeline. We see that Daniel made no attempt to hide his love for God to his enemies in government, even though he knew he would be disobeying the new law. Hiding would have shown that he feared people, not God.
“Yes, the king replied, ‘that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.
Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.” Daniel 6: 12-13
Yeah, what a bunch of Creeps and Tattletales! …