January 7, 2025

By Stephen Badiger & Jonathan Owen, World Missions

Scripture meditation: Daniel 6:4

As a bi-vocational minister, one of my (Stephen’s) early jobs was working as a Junior Executive/Loan Officer at a finance company. During a time when our branch was without a manager for a couple of months, I took on the responsibility of interim branch manager. One day, a manager from another branch was temporarily assigned to ours for a couple of days. While I was busy assisting a customer, he looked at me and said, “There’s a spark in your eyes, something different about you. I really like the way you work and handle things. I want to transfer here and work with you.”

Overwhelmed by his words, I felt God leading me to share the reason behind my integrity and work ethic. I took a seat in his office and shared the story of Jesus with him. He didn’t just make kind remarks – he actually requested a transfer and soon moved to our branch permanently.

Daniel’s story begins with Babylon’s overthrow of Judah, his home. He was among those exiled to Babylon to serve their conqueror. With his world turned upside-down, how should a faithful Hebrew serve a pagan empire?

During their training, when given food that conflicted with Moses’ Law, Daniel and his friends respectfully requested other arrangements and trusted God to support them. God gave them wisdom and understanding beyond their peers, and they were assigned positions of authority.

Consider Daniel’s new position. Was this a chance to frustrate the efforts of enemies who had blasphemed his God and killed his people? Or was this an opportunity to bless the nations? Daniel’s actions reflected Jeremiah’s instructions to the Babylonian exiles: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper,” (Jer 29:7). As Daniel used his considerable talents to bless Babylon – while remaining faithful to God – he was elevated to greater responsibility and given opportunities to bring honor to God.

Later, when others became jealous of Daniel, they lamented that they could find no fault in his integrity or work. What a testimony! To trap him, they enacted a law against private prayer, and Daniel could not comply. Again he trusted God – this time to support him through the consequences. In the end, God saved and vindicated him, and all Babylon knew of the power of his Lord.

Daniel’s integrity brought better governance for Babylon and greater glory to God. How might your integrity and faithful work bless others and witness to your community?

Prayer

Father, please guide me as I represent you in my daily life. Help me to act with integrity even when the cost is hard to bear. Amen.