Good People Finish First?
This is the second day in a row that my morning devotion has spoke to me and encouraged me to write.
“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 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. Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, 'We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.’” - Daniel 6:1-5 ESV
I remember many times over my career when it felt like my peers were trying to use me to either advance themselves or hold me back. Fortunately for me, I’ve always been relatively naive to interoffice politics in general (although I have to admit after many years, I did develop a rudimentary skill in identifying it better).
I remember being in awe at how some people used their political skills to their advantage and wishing I could develop the positive aspects of that without the backstabbing part shown in the above passage. I also remember taking classes to enhance some of those soft skills. But it never came easy to me. I guess I just didn’t have the desire to practice them enough to refine them and make them part of me.
Reading this next part in the Daniel story also provides some fodder.
“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”” - Daniel 6:10, 16 ESV
This reminds me of the “gentleness and respect” goal that we read about from the Apostle Peter, who demands that whenever we defend our faith, we use those two concepts in our approach.
Daniel went home and continued praying to God even though the decree meant that he may be killed. I’m so glad, looking back, that I was never fully successful at incorporating those political skills that I saw other people use to their advantage. It allowed me to keep my integrity and honesty and commitment to a common goal instead of turning it around to only focus on myself but then again I wasn’t looking at being killed.
It’s important to look at how the Daniel story resolves as well.
“Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions ’mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him;
and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: ‘“Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.’” - Daniel 6:21-27 ESV
Of course, there is no guarantee that good guys will finish first and lots of times, at least to me, it seemed like I didn’t even place. But the best news is that all these experiences have contributed, with God’s guidance and plan, to who I am today. Praise God!
