LEARNING DAILY

Daniel 6:3, Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

I have started to go back to see what God said about different individuals in the Old Testament when I come across their name in the New Testament. Noah was righteous, blameless, and walked with God. Enoch walked with God. Here Daniel “distinguished” himself above all other officials in Egypt “because an excellent spirit was in him”. Daniel had outstanding ability because he had exceptional wisdom and integrity. If you would take time to read the book of Daniel, you would have no doubt of God’s hand upon Daniel and all that happened during his life.  Because of Daniel’s skills in managing the Babylonian kingdom with efficiency and integrity, King Darius was going “to set him over the whole kingdom”.

For Believers this excellent spirit is the Holy Spirit living within them, changing them, guiding them, and giving wisdom to them in order for them to be Christlike in how they live their lives. Daniel’s hard work and dedication to living for God stood out; it led to his success and promotion to a position of authority and honor. For those reading this, that are starting their careers in the workforce, know and believe that your walk with God which includes qualities like integrity, wisdom, and diligence, can set you apart and open doors of opportunity and responsibilities as they did for Daniel. The way you conduct yourself, your attitude and your work ethic will be seen.

How did Daniel “distinguish himself”? The qualities mentioned above set him apart; it earned him the trust and admiration of those around him. Proverbs 22:29 confirms this, “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” This proverb refers to the person who does their work well and completes a project or assignment on time. They will be noticed and receive excellent evaluations. Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” You display the light of Jesus in you by doing good works; good works are those things that bring honor to God. Again, people notice what you do “just because”; do not purposely bring glory to yourself.

We live in a world where mediocracy is fairly dominate. Doing just enough to get by, spending time on the phone or looking at other stuff on the computer during working hours or just being lazy is not uncommon. Walk through stores and businesses and notice what people are doing and you will see. God does not want His people to be mediocre; He wants them to standout by pursuing excellence. He wants “an excellent spirit” to be in each Believer in everything he/she does! If you follow Daniel, you can be a positive influence in your workplace, and to those around you. Not only will others see you, but you will bring honor and glory to the Lord!