Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court. (Daniel 2:49 ESV)
Fear Not… Then Help Your Community
When I managed a telephone sales company, I hired my best friend to take the late shift. Three other employees were friends or spouses of other workers. It was a profitable place to work, and we took joy in helping our friends and family find the same benefits we had found.
Maybe it does not sound fair. Maybe it was selfish. Maybe it was nepotism. But I would do it again. I was blessed, and wanted to pass that blessing on to those I loved.
Through God’s providence, Daniel had the opportunity to present God’s truth to King Nebuchadnezzar, and the King saw that Daniel’s God was God. The King made a strong pronouncement about our God, place Daniel high in his bureaucracy, and Daniel was probably pretty satisfied with how things turned out.
But Daniel did not just bask in his blessings. He did not simply make it through the insecure, scary time and rest. He spread the blessings around.
He asked that his three best friends also be given positions of responsibility.
Second only to our aim of giving glory to God, is our good desire to be a blessing to those we love.
When you make it through the fear, look around and be aware of God’s blessings. And then spread those blessings around to those you love, and who love you.
Financially? Yes. Emotionally? Yes. Verbally? Yes. In prayer? Yes.
Fear not… then help your community.