What does it look like to live with such unwavering faith that even your enemies cannot find a single flaw in your conduct? That is the extraordinary life of Daniel, and it is the life we are called to as well. In Daniel chapter 6, we discover a man who had risen to the highest levels of power in a foreign empire not because he sought influence, but simply because he obeyed God. His obedience produced a kind of fruit so visible and so undeniable that those around him could only attack one thing: his faith. This week we are challenged to ask ourselves what our own fruit looks like. Are we known by our integrity, our consistency, our willingness to pray openly and give thanks even when circumstances are threatening? Daniel did not hide in a corner when the law was signed against him. He went home, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and prayed as usual. That phrase, as usual, is the heart of this message. The habits we build in seasons of peace are what carry us through seasons of danger. Our faith is not meant to be a private emergency resource. It is meant to be a daily, visible, joyful practice that identifies us to the world around us.
