This is session 3 of the Marketplace Conference, featuring Datuk Seri Michael Yam, Dato Paul Low and Dato Seri Idris Jala, together with our senior pastor.
It is wrong to called those who work in the government sector government servants. They are not there to serve the government but the public. They should be called civil servants or public servants.
Dan 6:1-28 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, (2) with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. (3) Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. (4) 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. (5) Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." (6) So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever! (7) The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. (8) Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered-- in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." (9) So King Darius put the decree in writing. (10) Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (11) Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. (12) So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions' den?" The king answered, "The decree stands--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." (13) Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day." (14) When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. (15) Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed." (16) So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" (17) A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed. (18) Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. (19) At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. (20) When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" (21) Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! (22) My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." (23) The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. (24) At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. (25) Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: "May you prosper greatly! (26) I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. (27) He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." (28) So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel and his three friends serve in the government. Daniel served 4 kings.
Daniel’s Track Record
A highly responsible person (v2)
Being accountable is a very important quality.There is a spirit of excellence in him (v3)
The king planned to set him over the kingdom. Whatever he did, he did it well. Do we just hand in our job half-heartedly?5 descriptions of people in the workplace
- Happy Henry – happy go-lucky. Takes things easy. Takes extra time to lunch / toilet, etc. Stops and chat with everyone.
- Frustrated Franklin – always moaning and complaining.
- Escapist Erwin – always marking time, always trying to run away from work.
- Surviving Steward – struggling to survive
- Enthusiastic Edward – not just TGIF because of CG but also TGIM – cannot wait to start a new work week.
He is corruption-free (v4)
Those who wanted to find fault could not find anything against him. DSIJ told us we need to operate in the white zone, not the grey zone (wondering can or not) where we will drift towards the black zone. When we are in the white zone, any strands of grey are obvious, we are sensitive to them.Some may think it is hard to be corruption-free in the Malaysia society. It is. It is not easy but it is possible. This is where we need to bring whatever we do to God, praying for His intervention. Turn to God.
He is hardworking (v4)
Daniel was not negligent. This is very important for all of us. We must work hard in whatever place God put us in. Students must study hard. We all need to work hard to excel in our workplace.We need to carry these four things if we want to be good witness of Christ.
We need to ace it in our workplace – we must have
- great Attitude
- Character – consistency and integrity
- Excellence – our work must stand out.
Daniel’s Challenge
People bother him even when he is good (v4). Why?
- It shows the character of these people – they are jealous, power-hungry, they want control. Daniel just wanted to do a good job.
- It shows the quality of these people – they are irrational and shallow and unreasonable.
- It exposes these people – the reality is that when we do work well, it shows the poor performance of the others.
People try to find a way to trap him v5-9, cf Jer 17:9)
Not only people try to find fault, they also try to trap Daniel. This shows the heart of the human being.Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. If the heart is not at the right place, any changes will only be superficial.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ has power to change man inside out. Christians ministers can do something politicians cannot do – equipped with the Word of God, we can change hearts.
Daniel’s Response
He is courageous (v10)
Daniel remained courageous and faithful despite the edict being passed to ban him for worshipping his God. He prayed not to show off but that was what he normally did.Here in DUMC, we are all colour-blind. There is one colour blind that is good – that is being blind to the colour of the skin. I the life of DUMC, we press on no matter what. It is the Word of God that we bow to. It is the Word of God that is our authority.
He is unwavering (V10)
He refused to buckle under tremendous pressure. He knew he walked in faith.He trusts in God’s intervention (v11; cf Dan 3:16-18)
Daniel asked God for help. There is a steadiness in Daniel’s life because he had a steadiness in his faith in God. So did his three friends who refused to pay homage to the statue. They depended totally on God. They emerged unscathed from the furnace. They were committed to stand firm even if God didn’t intervene.When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.
In our workplace, when all our colleagues are doing things in a way which is wrong, what do we do?
He believes in God’s vindication (v21-23; cf Jer 17:10)
Daniel believed God will vindicate him. Daniel trusted in God. Is our trust the same? It’s normal to want vindication in this life but it doesn’t happen that way all the time. Do we trust God even when vindication doesn’t come?Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.
God sees our heart.
William Wilburforce stood against mighty British establishment in his fight against the slave trade. Many MPs had interests in slave trade. He fought 40 years before it was abolished. He and the group prayed and sought God. Today, we remember them.
Question for discussion
- Like Daniel, in what ways are you excelling in your place of responsibility? What do people think about you and how you bearing witness to Christ?
- Share one challenge you faced in your area of responsibility and what is your responses and the outcome.
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