Honor

Daniel is such a powerful book. I tend to read it when I am going through a challenging season, as it gives me such renewed hope.

Daniel is an amazing example of a man who had great faith, wisdom, and endurance in the face of great uncertainty, enormous amounts of difficulty, and painful oppression.

Daniel 6 tells us about Daniels integrity and his success as an administrator who had been appointed by King Darius to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests.

Scripture tells us that because he had proven himself to the king, and because of Daniel’s great ability, the king was making plans to put him in a high position over the entire empire.

And this is where the story gets ugly.

The other administrators in the high council began searching for fault within Daniel’s life. However, every search for deficiency ended in failure. Scripture tells us that Daniel was, “…faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.” (6:4)

So, knowing they couldn’t blame him for anything legitimate, they decided to form an alliance, while attacking the very faith Daniel stood so strongly on. They coerced King Darius into signing a law that strictly prohibited a person to pray to, “anyone divine or human” (verse 7), with the exception of the King, for the following thirty days.

The punishment? The accused would be thrown in to a den filled with ravenous lions.

When Daniel learned about this, the scriptures tell us that, “…he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.” (verse 10)

Of course we know the rest of the story.
King Darius hears the news.
He’s deeply saddened, but must remain a man of his word.
He orders Daniel in the lions den.
For added measure of defense against escape, a stone is placed in the entryway.

The next day Darius finds Daniel in the den of lions completely unharmed, and is overcome with such joy, that he turns the tables, forcing the men who had brought the accusations against Daniel, along with their wives and children, into the lions den, where this time… the evil ones… were completely devoured.

Same den. Same lions. Different God.

Daniel’s words are extraordinary here.
Verse 21 says this, “Daniel answered, ‘Long live the king!’”

Four important words that might have changed everything.

Remember the king and his betrayal? His full support of the accusations? The fulfillment of a totally unrealistic law that he didn’t even want to sign in the first place?

Talk about irreverence and dishonor.
Talk about weakness and incompetence.

And yet, still, Daniel chose honor.
“Long live the king!”

Darius had been a heathen prince… an enemy to God’s people… and had collaborative efforts that aligned with the great enemy himself. YET Daniel showed him honor as a sovereign king.
Instead of belittling him, berating him, or using any means of retaliating hatred, He refused to dishonor the one the Lord had put in charge. He withdraws from any charge against him.

Ahh…

And so can it be with us? The Jesus people. A better way?

I wonder how differently things would look… how differently people would be… if the God-Fearing Jesus people rose up and deliberately chose a better way of living.

Perhaps we could begin to address all leaders and those in authoritative power with honor and respect. Maybe we could change the trajectory of our hate-filled scoiety by honoring those God has appointed for “such a time as this.”

Because the truth really is that we often become what those around us believe about us.

God called you and I worthy through we did nothing to deserve it.
1 Corinthians 1:26 says, “… think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were influential, not many were of noble birth.”

Let’s not believe the lie that says words don’t matter.
Words are FAR more powerful than we think.
Don’t buy into the the falsehood that respect is only earned, and that while we don’t have to honor the person, but we must honor the position.
It’s wrong thinking.
And it’s hurting us far more than we realize.
Choose to speak goodness over the ones who don’t deserve it. And then watch… just WATCH how God redeems and restores and reestablishes.

I strongly believe that He will not issue a redemptive solution until we learn the power of grace and honor.

I can honor despite evidence of worthiness.
Regardless of merit.
Not because they deserve it, but because God deserves to have ALL of my life to glorify Him.