When Daniel was around 16 years old, he was captured by King Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. The king besieged Jerusalem, rounded up all the young men of Jerusalem, and carted them off to Babylon…a place hostile to Daniel’s faith in God.
And yet, despite the hostility, God raised Daniel up to influence four different administrations of government over more than 65 years. He served in leadership roles under:
- King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 6:46-49)
- King Belshazzar (Daniel 5:29)
- King Darius (Daniel 6:1-2)
- King Cyrus (Daniel 6:28)
How did Daniel gain so much influence in such a hostile culture? While Daniel was serving under King Darius, he, “so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom” (Daniel 6:3).
God’s favor certainly attributed to Daniel’s influence, but Daniel also distinguished himself in a way that God could trust him with greater influence. In part one, we learned that Daniel distinguished himself by his commitment to God…a commitment that had been tested in hardship and under pressure. But Daniel also distinguished himself with trustworthy Character. A closer look at Daniel’s life reveals three character qualities that can profoundly impact our lives today.
Three Qualities of Daniel’s Trustworthy Character:
1. Integrity
Daniel chose integrity under every king he served—in the good times and in the tough times. For example, Daniel chose:
- Integrity Over Convenience – When Daniel, and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were captured and taken to Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his table. Initially, that sounds like a good deal. But notice how Daniel responds: “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way” (Daniel 1:8). Daniel wouldn’t eat the king’s food because the king worshipped idols, and the meat from his table had been offered to idols. In order to remain ceremonially clean, Daniel refused the food and instead asked for a diet of vegetables and water. Eating the food from the king’s table would have been the convenient thing to do, but Daniel chose character over convenience. Daniel put personal integrity before personal interests. What was the result? Ten days after starting the diet, Daniel and his friends looked healthier than the other young men. And after three years of training, the king chose Daniel and his friends to enter into his service. For Daniel, moral conviction superseded momentary convenience.
- Integrity Over Carrots – In the business world, leaders often motivate people with one of two things: sticks or carrots. For example, some people use the equivalent of a stick to motivate people by threatening them, beating them down, or whipping them into shape. When King Darius demanded that everyone worship him for thirty days, or be thrown into the lion’s den, that was “motivation by sticks.” Sticks says, “Do it…or face the consequences.” Other people use carrots to motivate people. They think, “If I just offer them a big enough reward—in other words, if I dangle a carrot in front of them—then they’ll gladly do whatever I say.” While carrots can be nice rewards, if the heart of the leader is corrupt, a carrot can quickly become a bribe. Daniel experienced the “carrot” when King Belshazzar summoned Daniel to interpret the “handwriting on the wall” that appeared after the king, his nobles, and their wives got drunk on wine using gold goblets taken from the temple of God. The king said to Daniel, “Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom” (Daniel 5:16, emphasis added). There’s the carrot. I’ll give you honor and I’ll give you power. But Daniel’s character was greater than the carrot. He responded, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means” (Daniel 5:17). Daniel could not be bribed. In other words, Daniel was more concerned about doing right than he was about claiming his rights. Simply put, his integrity was not for sale.
- Integrity Over Corruption – While Daniel was serving under King Darius, he so distinguished himself that the king intended to set him over his entire kingdom. But the other administrators were jealous, so they set out to discredit Daniel’s character. Daniel 6:4 says, “At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent” (emphasis added) Daniel’s character did not waiver in private, in public, or under pressure. Why? Because Daniel determined who held the pencil in his life. In his book, Homerun, Kevin Myers talks about the power of a pencil. He asserts that if we’re going to win on the inside—in other words, if we’re going to win in our character—we have to define the character lines in our lives. Simply put, we have to know what lines we are not willing to cross—lines between good & evil, between right & wrong, between wise & foolish. For some people, family or friends draw their character lines. For others, the media draws their character lines. And for others, political parties, educators, or personal feelings draw the lines. Who’s draws the character lines in your life? This is an important question because, whoever controls the pencil in your life draws the lines in your life. If you haven’t given God the power of the pencil in your life, then there’s a good chance you don’t know where the lines of truth are, which will ultimately result in character compromises. Daniel let God hold the character pencil of his life. God drew the lines, and Daniel became a leader of character. He could be trusted, and as a result his influence increased.
2. Wisdom
During the second year of his reign, King Nebuchadnezzar kept having dreams that were troubling him. So, he gathered his wise men and demanded that they not only interpret his dreams, but that they tell him what he dreamed in the first place.
Obviously, that would seem impossible. It’s one thing to say, “Let me tell you about a dream I had last night, and then ask you what it means.” But it’s entirely different to say, “I had a dream last night…now, tell me what I dreamed and what it means.”
Because the king’s wise men couldn’t fulfill his request, Nebuchadnezzar’s ordered that they all be executed. Daniel was one of the wise men, but when Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard arrived to have Daniel put to death, Daniel spoke with wisdom and tact. He said:
“Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him” (Daniel 2:14-16).
Think about Daniel’s response. When he heard the news, he didn’t start yelling at Arioch. He didn’t resist arrest, pull out a sword and start swinging, or go into hiding. Instead, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. That insight is the answer to more of your problems than you even realize.
When somebody brings you a problem, don’t fly off the handle. Instead, deal with it with wisdom and tact. When your kids start complaining, don’t yell back. Instead, handle it with wisdom and tact. When a co-worker blames you for something you didn’t do, don’t start hurling insults and threats at them. Instead, handle it with wisdom and tact. When someone starts touting their political persuasion, don’t get into an argument with them. Instead, handle it with wisdom and tact.
Wisdom and tact are two of the greatest conflict resolution strategies available to you today. Why? Because wisdom tells you what to say, and tact tells you how to say it. Daniel grew in influence because he understood the power of these two keys. As a result, Daniel was able to buy enough time to seek God, receive the interpretation to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, and ultimately save a lot of lives.
3. Humility
After God revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to Daniel, Daniel’s first response was to worship God. When he stood before the king, Nebuchadnezzar said, “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?” (Daniel 2:26b). Most people in a situation like that would see it as a chance for a promotion. Most people would stand up straight, puff out their chest, and try to make themselves look good. But not Daniel. Daniel’s posture was humility, not pride. Daniel 2:27-28a records Daniel’s reply to the king:
“No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come” (emphasis added).
Then Daniel went on to accurately describe the kings dream and its meaning. As a result, King Nebuchadnezzar promoted Daniel to be ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and as chief over all his wise men (Daniel 2:48).
Here’s the lesson for us today: The fastest way up, is down. Promotion doesn’t begin with pride; it begins with humility. Daniel understood that principle, but unfortunately King Nebuchadnezzar did not.
On another occasion, King Nebuchadnezzar had another dream. When Daniel interpreted this dream, he basically told Nebuchadnezzar, “You’re like a tree, and one day you’re going to be chopped down. You’re going to lose your power and your kingdom, and you’ll live with the animals of the field.”
Daniel pleaded with the king to stop sinning, do what was right, and have mercy on the poor (Daniel 4:27), but the king refused to listen. One year later, King Nebuchadnezzar was walking around the rooftop of his palace in Babylon, admiring the monument he had built for his own glory. As he did, he said:
“Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor” (Daniel 4:30b, emphasis added).
As he spoke those words, the judgment of God fell on King Nebuchadnezzar, and he lived like an animal for seven years (Daniel 4:31-33). Notice the contrast between Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel’s humility promoted him, but Nebuchadnezzar’s pride demoted him.
After seven long years, Nebuchadnezzar finally acknowledged the Most High God. As a result, his kingdom was restored to him. Daniel chapter four closes with these words: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud” (Daniel 4:37). Pride builds monuments, but humility builds ministry.
A beautiful example of this can be seen in the life of Robert Murray McCheyne. McCheyne was a preacher of the Gospel, and in the 19th century he travelled Scotland declaring the good news of Jesus. After preaching the Gospel, and seeing people come to faith in Christ, McCheyne rod out of town on his horse. When he could no longer be seen, he got off of his horse, knelt down, and then took an imaginary crown off his head and put it on the Lord Jesus Christ. It was his way of humbling himself and reminding himself who deserves the credit and the glory.
Ezra Taft Benton once said, “Pride is concerned about who’s right. Humility is concerned about what’s right.” Daniel learned this lesson early on, and he walked in a spirit of humility under each king he served.
Those three keys—integrity, wisdom, and humility—were the foundation of Daniel’s character. The natural by-product was that people trusted Daniel. And when people trust you, your influence usually increases…even in a corrupt and broken culture.
Today, let me challenge you to take a simple “Trustworthy Character” test. It’s only three questions:
- Integrity: Who holds the pencil and draws the lines of truth in my life?
- Wisdom: Does what I say and how I say it reflect wisdom and tact?
- Humility: Am I more concerned about who’s right or what’s right?
Your honest answers to these questions will give you a glimpse of the character in your life. If you really want to know, ask a trusted mentor to answer the questions for you. They might provide perspective you cannot see for yourself.
Building long-lasting influence in a hostile culture requires character depth. Shallow character won’t do the job. You need integrity, wisdom, and humility. That trio will prepare you for leadership, and possibly even lead to your promotion.
