“It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 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. Finally these men said, ‘We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.’” (Daniel 6:1-5)

Remain above reproach. This idea of staying true to Christian values with consistency and remaining blameless in the eyes of the law is riddled throughout the bible. Today’s nugget from Daniel is among the best examples of this characteristic played out in one’s life. Daniel did not have it easy, he was a Jewish exile living in a pagan foreign world. Throughout all his trials, Daniel remained consistently true to God and the values God held him to. Daniel was thrown in a furnace and later into the den of lions. God delivered him from each “because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you.”- (Daniel 6:22) Daniel lived a life honorable to God. Unfortunately, his God loving nature and diligence in governing made him a target for those jealous of his good standing. As scriptures tell us, these men tried to find some way to destroy him, but Daniel was in fact above reproach. Like Daniel, we too live in a world that doesn’t want us to succeed nor have God be known. And like Daniel, we too need to be consistent – Love and honor God, never worship idols, and live a life that is above reproach.