“At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.” – Daniel 6:4
King Darius liked Daniel. And for good reason. He was incredibly wise; he was also an excellent servant; and last but not least – he could interpret dreams. It’s one thing to be smart, another to be smart and obedient. But to be a wise servant who is capable of interpreting dreams??!!
Darius liked Daniel so much that he was considering making him second in command. Without even trying, Daniel had already proven himself, quickly climbing the Persian ladder to becoming one of three governors overseeing the king’s administrators. And now this? Second in command?
The satraps didn’t like it, not one bit. The nerve! This scrawny little Jewish kid from Judea? Are you serious?
So they began looking for ways to get him fired. And you know they did their homework. They hired investigators to do thorough criminal background checks. Zilch. Not even a speeding ticket. They brought in computer forensic scientists to go over his Social Media accounts. Nada. Not even a questionable meme. They even called in the IRS to look over his financial statements in hopes of finding an error that they could nail him on. Nothing.
His record was without blemish. Daniel was as clean as a whistle.
But when the evil one becomes desperate, there’s always another way. And that way is to challenge one’s faith in the most dire of circumstances.
You probably already know how the story of Daniel unfolds. Ultimately he gets persecuted and prosecuted for his obedience to God, and is then thrown into a den of lions. But God rewards Daniel’s obedience by closing the mouths of the lions, and King Darius learns about the evil plotting of the satraps and becomes unhinged.
And into the lion’s den they go… Satrap Succotash, it is.
Friend, the enemy is gaining considerable ground today. The war is being waged, and sadly a lot of Christians are losing the battle. Church attendance is at an all-time low. Prayer and Bible reading has long since lost its place in the home. Men have essentially allowed themselves to become emasculated by a feminist society that panders to the anything-goes culture that stands in defiance of God.
Instead of men leading other men in ministry, we have men dressed as women reading stories to children in public libraries. Instead of young children learning about Jesus, they’re learning about gender transitioning and hormone therapy in school. Instead of teenage girls learning about the importance of abstinence, they’re learning about where they can go should they become pregnant so they can murder their unborn child, and then live with that guilt for the rest of their lives.
We need Daniels today more than ever before; men who aren’t afraid to confront evil and take a stand for Christ. Men who value their faith, their families, their children, their communities, and their children’s education. Men who are willing to be obedient to God, no matter the cost.
Dare to make a difference.
Dare to be a Daniel.
Former Blackout Artist 