Daniel 6:1-5
1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 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.
3 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. 4 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.
5 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.”
One lesson from the life of Daniel is the honour and upholding of God's laws. These laws formed the basis of Daniel's actions. Because of this, God made him excellent at all he did and the King planned to set him above the whole kingdom. This also attracted jealous men who wanted to bring him down.
Psalms 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
David's concern is sinning against God. This is an attitude that seems evident in the life of Daniel. He lived to please God and one way to do so is to hide His word in us and living by it.
Psalms 119:9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
The other satraps and administrators were keen on finding fault against Daniel, but there was none they could find. He was living in the path of purity because of the word of God.
When God was commissioning Joshua, He commanded:
Joshua 1:7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
God assures us success if we obey His laws and walk in them. Daniel was such a man who had distinguished himself in the Lord, and God made him excel in his work that no one could question his integrity.
Psalms 119:6 Then I would not be put to shame
when I consider all your commands.
Psalms 119:22-24
22 Remove from me their scorn and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.
23 Though rulers sit together and slander me,
your servant will meditate on your decrees.
24 Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors.
This was happening to Daniel. Rulers were sitting down to slander him, looking for any reason to do so. But God kept Daniel from the shame they intended for him. Daniel was upright in his ways. (Dan 6:3-4)
He walked in wisdom and gained counsel from the word of God. He was in his own league, God's league.
Our prayer before God
Psalms 119:36 Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Psalms 119:46 I will speak of your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame.
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