Daniel

     One of the remarkable things about Daniel--and there are a lot of remarkable things about Daniel--was that he viewed life as a whole.  What I mean by that is that he saw everything as related to the spiritual.  It didn't matter if it was his diet or his prayer life, he held faithfulness to God as essential in all areas.  The best evidence of that is found when the Persians under Darius tried to find some way to accuse him.  They all looked for something first in the area that they would have called secular--in the way he did his job as an administrator of the kingdom.  They knew he was religious--so, no doubt were they--but they were sure that his religion had no impact on his behavior "on the job."  But they were wrong.  They could find nothing to accuse him of.  He didn't do his job the way they did, looking for a way to get rich.  No bribes passed into Daniel's hands.  In addition, he didn't neglect any of the duties he was called on to perform.  Here is a man in his seventies still performing his duties to the utmost of his energies.  How many of us would be found faultless if others searched for something to accuse us of in the way we did our jobs?  Would they find no dishonesty in our behavior; no neglect on our part toward those things we were accountable to do?  The problem arises when we fail to see that our entire life is sacred.  As soon as we take God out of any area of our life, we have surrendered our integrity.  We have set aside "do all to the glory of God."  God expects us as believers, as His children, to leave an imprint of His presence wherever we are.  I am not a Christian and a lawyer, a Christian and a waitress, a Christian and a teacher, a Christian and an artist, a Christian and an athlete, a Christian and a father, a Christian and a son.  I am a Christian.  And in whatever area of my life I cease to act like one, I am in disobedience and my integrity will come into question.  Until I see my entire life as sacred, I am not a disciple.  For the disciple's first step is to deny himself.  How many steps down the road of discipleship have you taken today?