Acceptable Response

Dan.6: ¹⁴ “Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.”

There is such a huge contrast between Darius’ and Nebuchadnezzar’s responses to “defiance”. The reason is, Dairus obviously had experienced Daniel and had respect for him. Nebuchadnezzar on the other hand, had obviously not experienced the three young men and had no respect for them. In addition to that, Nebuchadnezzar had ulterior motives. His decree was out of his insecurity. Darius on the other hand yielded to “yes men” and discovered his error. However, favour and honour made Daniel a target. Some people’s response to favour is to avoid it all together and just coast through life. Some pray that God would reduce their measure of favour so that they will not attract attention. If you are favoured please be humble but embrace it and do not apologize for it or cut yourself down. You are not doing anyone a favour by making yourself look small. Stop it!

I know a family that would always train the domestic staff that they employ. They sponsor the person up to university level and give them a chance to make a life for themselves. So, they took in a boy, very intelligent chap, and started him up on the same path. He got into school and was excelling. One day, the boy’s mother showed up and started crying. She was convinced that the family wanted her son dead because if the people in the village hear of the boy’s progress, they will kill him. She pleaded with them to let him remain at the level of a domestic staff so that she can have her son in old age. They tried to point her to God’s protective covering that is available for her and her son. But when the woman saw that they were not accepting her proposition, she let it be. Then one day, she just showed up and took the boy back to the village.

Some people feel they need to wear rags to prolong their life. I am not saying you should become arrogant but if God’s favour on your life makes you a target, God Himself will protect you. We also see from the responses of the other administrators and high officers, that when people do not respond positively to the favour on another person, they became breakfast for lions. I pray that you will respond well, and those that become jealous of the favour on your life will be breakfast for lions in Jesus Name. If God is blessing your neighbor, He is in your neighborhood, so rejoice!

Prayer: O Lord, fight those fighting me; declare war on them for their attacks on me. Put on your armor, take your shield and protect me by standing in front, in Jesus Name. Amen [Ps.35:1-2, TLB]