We live in a culture that seems to shun predictability as being boring, or even pensive. Culture says we should be unpredictable, spontaneous, and carefree. In Daniel chapter six we find the famous story of Daniel and the lion’s den. Daniel’s co-workers couldn’t stand him, and they had gotten some inside information that he was about the be promoted (over them). What was it about Daniel that with each new king, and each new turn in his life, something enabled him to move up, and up, the political ladder?
The newest king (Darius) desired to put him over the entire empire. We see that when his enemies desired to point out his flaws, but they couldn’t find any, “they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.â€
Daniel didn’t come in to work late, he stayed his entire shift, he did his job with excellence, and he always did a great job. When they observe his job performance, there is nothing there they can point to as being inadequate, negligent, or faulty.
In our lives, one of our most powerful “witnessing tools” (church word meaning; “to tell of Jesus”) and way of showing our God to be mighty is how we perform our jobs. Do we work with excellence day after day, year after year, (Daniel was over 80), or do we do just enough to draw a paycheck? Or is our work performance based on how we are treated at work?
Along with his faithfulness to his job, was his surpassing steadfast devotion to his God. Daniel was so habitual in how he worshipped that they were able to craft a plan specifically based upon this faithfulness. If Daniel had not been faithful in his prayer and worship life, then their plan would have fallen apart. Are we so faithful that plans can be made against us? Are we so faithful to our quiet time (church word meaning, “to study God’s Word in a quiet place”) that everyone knows where to find us and what we will be doing.
Man, I love Daniel, but he is a man whose presence is very convicting. Sometimes we just don’t like to be around these kind of guys (or read their books) because they are so faithful that it makes our unfaithfulness really stand out. Let me encourage you today in your walk with God, to pray and ask God to show you where you could be more faithful and predictable in the things of God. Instead of focusing on how others seem to be more faithful than you, focus on Christ and seeking to please Him with your life. It’s ok to be predictable, faithful, and steadfast.
Great article Drew. Really puts things in perspective.
Thanks Bob!