Forth Sunday of Easter, April 17, 2016

Daniel, Chapter 6, Verse 27-28

²⁷ I decree that throughout my royal domain the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared: “For he is the living God, enduring forever, whose kingdom shall not be destroyed, whose dominion shall be without end, ²⁸ A savior and deliverer, working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who saved Daniel from the lions’ power.”

This is the summation of the story of Daniel in the lion’s den. In this chapter Daniel is a type of Christ like figure. He is falsely accused by those who are jealous of him. They use legal tricks to entrap Daniel and have him condemned to the lion’s den. He is even put inside; the den is sealed over with a giant boulder, thus mirroring Christ’s tomb. In the end Daniel is not eaten by the lions but those who conspired against him are thrown into the lions and eaten. The story reflects the glory of Christ’s victory over Satan and the demons.

Decision Making: Choices Confirm or Compromise Values[1]

Daniel when presented with a law that opposed the laws of God had to decide whether he would submit or stay true to his convictions. He chose his life principles. He likely followed the principles of:

1.      Weighting out the options before you.

2.      Ask if those choses force you to compromise personal values.

3.      Seek wise counsel.

4.      Count the cost.

5.      Decide based on principles.

6.      Act on your decision swiftly and firmly.

Daniel maintained a set of values and principles that enabled him to make decisions quickly and confidently. If you take too much time making decisions often it is too late to act. Do not wait to survey the pulse of your people and paralyze your organization. Do the right thing!

[1] John Maxwell, The Leadership Bible.