Reputation: A Portrait of You

Daniel 6:1-28

By the time we get to the time of Daniel's life where he is thrown into the lions den, he has been in captivity in Babylon for over 50 years.  It is interesting to note that he would be around the same age as the new reigning power, Darius.  We are not told how Daniel gets put into a position of leadership, especially when the previous leader, Belshazzar, did not seem to have any contact with Daniel until the famous graffiti incident.  According to the notes in my Bible, this is only the 1st or 2nd year of Darius' time in office but already Daniel has a significant reputation with the new king.  The evidence of this reputation is found in verse 16.  Keep in mind that in the New Living Translation, it is not a "word for word", translation but rather a "thought for thought" translation.  Two words pop out of this verse.

1)      Worship – Darius was aware of Daniel's relationship with the one true God.  It was not a relationship borne of convenience or necessity but the term worship seems to indicate the intensity and passion that Daniel had for his God.

2)      Continually – This was no half-hearted approach to "Christianity" for Daniel.  He lived it from sunup to sundown.  His approach carried him from the home to the office.  Daniel did not compartmentalize his life into work, religion, home, etc.  Of course, this was easily accomplished because he had been allowing God to spill into every area of his life since he was a teenager over 50 years earlier.  If you don't believe me, just check out Daniel chapter 1.  500 miles from home, with no one to keep him accountable, Daniel intentionally and purposefully chose to obey God's commands even when he knew there was no authority on earth that he would have to answer to.

Because of the way that Daniel lived his life, there was a vivid testimony that revealed the true power and love of God.  Darius seemed to have more than a slim hope that Daniel would be saved from the lions.  He shows that hope in verse 20.  A man with no hope would have simply sent someone else to collect the remains of his friend for burial.  Instead, he runs to the lions himself and instead of assuming Daniel did not survive, he calls out to him asking if he was. 

Does your reputation and testimony tell others of the power and love of the God that sent his Son to save us?