So we’ve made it into the palace.  We’ve faced bitterness and resentment and moved on past them.  We’ve yielded to authority when it wasn’t easy.  We’ve started to learn how to love a king, a boss, a man who is very unlovable.  And we’ve won the prize: favor in his sight.

Now what?  Kick back and relax?  Some would say yes.  Some would say that we’ve done the hard work, we’ve gotten the promotion, and now — just sit back and do as little as possible to get by.  You’ve earned it, right?

Well, let’s keep going and see.

Tags: Daniel, doing the right thing, faithfulness, integrity, interpreting dreams, martyr, martyrdom

I’m sorry for the unreasonably long delay between parts 4 and 5.  If you want to look back on the other parts, here are the links:

Part 1 - What it Takes to Stand Before Kings

Part 2 - Do You Have What it Takes?

Part 3 - How Bad Do You Want It?

Part 4 - Waiting Won’t Kill You

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Tags: Daniel, David, do the right thing, Esther, integrity, Joseph

Considering the circumstances by which Daniel ended up in King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace, it’s remarkable the way he conducted himself even from the get-go.  Immediately after Daniel is taken from his noble family in Israel, given a new name (Belteshazzar) and ushered into the king’s palace, Daniel is already seen respecting those who most would consider his enemy.

Babylon (modern-day Iraq) has never been known as a God-fearing nation, and it certainly wasn’t in Daniel’s time.  After reading Daniel’s story in its entirety, that becomes crystal clear; but even at the very beginning, it’s visible.  Israel was a nation established by God for His people.  Babylon invaded, conquered and demolished that land, killing its people along the way.  Oh, and on the way out — they plundered God’s temple.  Even the most illiterate, uninformed God-fearing person would know better than to do that.

Tags: Bible, Daniel, God's Word, honor, integrity, King Nebuchadnezzar, loyalty, Obedience, respect, submit to authority

Daniel had it rough.  We hear time after time about Daniel being thrown in the lion’s den and about his friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, getting tossed in the fiery furnace.  But personally, I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anyone teach about how Daniel became a servant in the King’s court.  Was it promotion?  Did he try out?  Was he interviewed?

Tags: Abednego, Daniel, Daniel in the Lion's Den, excellence, fiery furnance, humility, integrity, King Nebuchadnezzar, Meshach, serve kings, Shadrach