Daniel 6:5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

Politics and envy haven’t changed throughout human history. This story is certainly famous, being taught to Jewish and Christian children, but we see echoes of it all the time around us. I don’t know of any politicians today who are as upright as Daniel was, but the tactic of attacking good men on the basis of the foundation of their goodness, that is, their faith, is constantly in evidence. I just read that the high school football coach who was fired for insisting on praying, quietly and personally, on the 50-yard-line after every game is going all the way to the Supreme Court. His “crime” was that he was influencing his students to join him, thus “polluting” them with religion! Thankfully, the probability that the current court will uphold his 1^st Amendment right to free expression of his faith is high, but the fact that the issue arose at all is an indication of how low the nation has sunk. Of course the prime current example is Donald Trump, who didn’t even come to active faith until shortly before the 2016 election, but who instituted policies based on that faith with remarkable consistency, and so stirred up a world-class hornets’ nest! He is no Daniel, but the lions’ den is very real, even if metaphorical. We need to remember that the God who protected Daniel hasn’t changed, and His righteousness and justice will prevail.

I certainly wasn’t a fan of Donald Trump before 2016, and it wasn’t until after I started seeing changes in his behavior that I started hearing rumors of his conversion. His very name is still a flash-point for argument, but I have believed for many years that a good way to judge someone’s character is to look at their enemies. That certainly influences me to support Donald Trump! We had a case here in Omura where a Christian mayor who refused to bend to the will of some unscrupulous “power brokers” was accused of accepting bribes – the very thing he was refusing to do – and was actually convicted, though given a suspended sentence. He was naturally removed from office on that conviction, but as soon as the statute of limitations ran out, he ran for mayor again and was elected by the populace that realized he had been framed. His actual “crime” was refusing to go along with “politics as usual,” just as was the case with Trump. I’ve never been into politics personally, and Daniel’s moral fiber is a challenge to me, but I know that God has not changed, and I am not only to walk in personal obedience to Him, I am to pray for those around me who are trying to do so. The battle is real, and will continue to be so until the final victory described in Revelation, so I’m not to let down my guard but be alert and active for the sake of God’s children, His kingdom, and His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me indeed walk in step with Your Spirit at all times, whether that means prayer, ministry, or anything else, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!