It starts at a young age. You see a buddy get away with stealing a candy bar and it is tempting to try to steal one too. In school, a friend cheats on tests routinely and then brags about his grade-point average. It can be tempting to follow that example as well when you struggle to make good grades.
It can continue into adulthood. Some people seem to work the system to their advantage to get the next promotion, the next deal done or the maximum bonus. The person that keeps their head down with a focus on getting a job done may get overlooked. Does it matter? Of course it does, but know that others do see the example you set.
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. – Daniel 6:3-4. From the outside, Daniel may have appeared to be someone who worked the system to his advantage. He was successful at garnering influence and power. The other high officials and satraps were jealous of his position with the king and in the kingdom. From the get-go upon exile to Babylon, Daniel and his friends refused to get caught up in the distractions associated with being the king’s servants. Daniel committed to honor the One True God in what he ate, how he prayed, Who he worshiped and how he served the king. As he did, the light of God blasted through the darkness of those times. Light always overtakes darkness, not the other way around. Dr. Del Tackett in The Truth Project, used the illustration of his grandson opening a closet door when the morning sun was shining into the home. “Did you see that?”, he asked his grandson. He explained that the darkness in the closet did not overtake the house but that the light in the house lit up the closet. Daniel was a light to the king and across the kingdom through his relationship with and obedience to the one true God. He provided an example even the king wanted to follow! Similarly, dads are charged to not allow the distractions of this dark world to impede their responsibility to be an example worth following.
Kids always look to dad as the example. Of the Old Testament characters, Daniel is certainly one worth following. And of course, Jesus is the One who said, “Follow Me.” – Matthew 4:19. And we are not just to follow Him, we are to become conformed to Him (Romans.8:29). The call for dads is to become more Christ-like every day, to point to Him and reflect His light in this world – in the home, workplace, church and every interaction.
Prayer guide: Thank You Lord for Your word and the example of Daniel. I confess I have allowed the darkness of this world to distract me from reflecting Your light in my home. Forgive me. I do want to honor You in all I do and reflect Your light in the home You blessed me with. Grant me strength to be the example my family wants to follow. That is the dad You call me to be, and that’s the dad my kids need to see. Amen.
A faithful father is the example his family wants to follow.
