3 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.
4 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.
Daniel 6:3-4 (NLT)
STANDING OUT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS
I have played the bass guitar since I was 15 years old. After getting my first bass—a Washburn that still holds a sentimental place in my heart—my dad signed me up for lessons, and I was off and running.
Those lessons, and my awesome teacher named Eddie (who is still playing live music), had a huge influence on me as a player. I had an interest in playing in a garage band with my friends, and I wanted to learn how to do all the flashy stuff—yes, like slapping the bass, which is the number one question bass players everywhere get asked (thanks a lot, Paul Rudd).
What I learned from my teacher was that none of those things matter if you don’t have a foundation in the fundamentals of music, the instrument, and technique as a whole. He taught me to keep it simple and focus on the basics.
Playing in the pocket—having a sense of how to play in a way that adds to the song or makes the other musicians sound better—that is what matters. You might be able to wear sunglasses like Joe Dart, but if you don’t actually know how to play, then you’re standing out for the wrong reasons.
As we discussed Daniel chapter six this past week, we learned a lot about who Daniel was as a man even before he had to survive a night in the lion’s den. He had earned the favor of Darius and was placed in an administrative leadership role over the 120 satraps governing the area (v. 3).
When jealousy took hold among his colleagues and they began to plot and scheme against him, they kept coming up short. Verse four says, “…they could find no charge or corruption, for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.”
Everything we can glean from Daniel suggests that he was a great leader (v. 3), a man of integrity (v. 4), and a man loyal to God above all else (v. 10). We have a very clear picture of someone who set a godly standard for us to follow.
I’m brought back to my bass lessons with Eddie—perhaps it’s best to focus on the basics. If we can be people of integrity who place God above all else, then we can stand out for the right reasons, like Daniel.
Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.
