Fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of being different. Fear of what people will think. Of persecution.
Daniel was an amazing, faithful man of God. One of the more righteous biblical heroes that we come across. Different from most of the other heroes who, as history has revealed, were mainly broken, imperfect people chosen to do greatness. Contrarily, there really isn’t anything critical spoken of Daniel’s character.
Daniel was someone who loved God above all else. He trusted Him with a trust that I, at this stage in my life, can only hope to attain someday. I’m working on getting there.
He was a man of favor. A man whose life reflected the blessings of God because he loved Him, obeyed Him, and chose Him above even his own life.
When King Darius’ other officials saw the favor the king showered Daniel with, they became jealous and planned against him. Playing into the king’s pride, they deceived him and had him sign a decree stating that everyone under his rule would be required to worship him like a god for 30 days. If anyone was found worshiping another god, they would be put to death by being fed to lions.
But Daniel loved God – more than his own life. He prayed to Him 3 times, daily giving Him thanks in all things. And even though his life was on the line, and his friends probably encouraged him to obey the new decree, and he knew he would be persecuted, he still chose to worship God alone. To obey Him. To love Him. To openly express His dedication to The Father because He is the only one worth worshipping. Windows wide open so anyone and everyone could see, facing Jerusalem.
He had guts. He had courage. He had dedication. He had love.
It makes me think about how we, as Christians, often cower down when the rules change. When the persecution increases. When our friends tell us we should be careful not to speak out loud because we never know who’s listening. It even makes me think of when missionaries talk about how they hide in secret because of the laws of the land. I’m trying not to judge because I don’t understand what that’s like, but it still makes me think.
Daniel refused to hide. He refused to conform. He refused to let fear hold him back. He left the windows gaping wide open and proudly proclaimed that he had no other god before him. That there was no one he loved more than God, the father. That He was the only one worthy of his praise and thanksgiving. Even though he was probably alone.
The Bible doesn’t clearly state this, but I wonder if Daniel was the only one remaining faithful. His friends Shadrech, Meshach and Obednego aren’t mentioned. Have you ever wondered why? I do. But I can also be over-analytical. It’s clear that Daniel loved God above all else, and I wholeheartedly believe that even if he was alone he would have stayed strong. Like the old hymn says, “though none go with me still I will follow”. That’s where I think Daniel’s heart was. Because he knew that even if he was alone, God was still with him.
We see the evidence of this in the rest of the story. When he was caught by the other governors, his friend, the king, was forced to follow through and feed him to the lions. But God. God was with him, as always. God saved him so that he could continue his mission in Babylon. Why? Because He’s a faithful God who blesses those who love Him. How do we love Him? By keeping His commandments, per Jesus. What are His commandments? Well, Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love the lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. The second is not unlike the first. To love your neighbor as yourself.
Daniel loved God with everything inside of him, and chose to worship him no matter the cost. Openly. No fear. No concerns. He shared God with a lost people, just as we are trying to do, by doing nothing more than loving God.
