So they concluded, "Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion." Daniel 6:5
If you could be known for doing one thing, what would that one thing be? Would you want to be known for your career, accomplishments, or strong relationships? Would you want to be known for something you created? While all these things are positive and good, they are not the most valuable things to be known for. The greatest thing we can be known for is how we followed and obeyed God.
Daniel 6 gives us a glimpse into Daniel's reputation. There was a new king who came on the scene, King Darius. Darius was very impressed by Daniel and the excellence and integrity he displayed daily. The king's men began to be jealous of Daniel, and they looked for ways to discredit him and find "some fault" in how Daniel handled "government affairs" (verse 4). They could not find one fault in Daniel, so they thought of another way to destroy this man. Finally, they thought about his reputation as a man of faith. Because he was known for his faith in God, they said, "Our only chance in finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion" (verse 5). Daniel was so devoted to God that these men knew that the only way to accuse him was to accuse him of his dedication to God over anything else, even when it meant defying the king. As a result, they went to King Darius and convinced him to make an order that anyone who worshiped anything other than the king be thrown into a lion's den. Daniel was a remarkable man of faith. He did not keep his faith to himself. Everyone around him knew that He followed God and would never do anything against His God.
What do you want to be known for? I do not know about you, but I want to be known for my faith and devotion to God. So may we live lives that consistently point people to the God we serve and love so very much.
Write a sentence stating what you want to be known for in your journal or a notebook. Then, have an honest evaluation of what people would say about you. What are you proud of? What needs improvement? What action steps can you begin taking today to be known for following and obeying Jesus at all costs?
Daniel 6:1-5
"Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. 2 The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king's interests. 3 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel's great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.
4 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn't find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. 5 So they concluded, "Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion."
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