Principles mistook for weakness

When the Persians defeated the Babylonians, they used some of the leaders already in place. Among them was Daniel, a rising star who king Darius was about to appoint over the kingdom.

The other administrators, driven by their own ambitions and jealousies, wanted to block him but couldn't find any "dirt" to discredit him. Instead, they found that Daniel was a man of real integrity: "He was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent."

Apart from trustworthiness, a lack of corruption, and negligence, there was the fourth aspect of Daniel's integrity: It was obvious to them that Daniel was completely loyal to obeying God.

It's ironic: They saw this loyalty to God as a potential leverage point. They may have succeeded if Daniel's loyalty was to something dead and lifeless, but these men would experience a different reality at the lion's den!

Some people may think that holding onto integrity and devotion to God is a sign of weakness. Some may view Christians as weak and that faith is a crutch - an "opium for the masses". Some may think that strength lies in living as though they are a law unto themselves.

Daniel had anchors and foundations in his life. His enemies could see that, and they thought they could exploit it. They learned differently.

The perceived weakness of Daniel's integrity was that he was not self-referencing but that his moral compass was set on the True North of his faith in God. This turned out not to be his weakness, but his greatest strength.