Daniel Chapter 5

This is a continuation of my reading of Daniel.

5:1-4 Am I using something that God has set up to honor himself to glorify something other than him? Am I setting myself up for a confrontation with reality?
5:5 God’s creativity in how he gets our attention is endless.
5:10-12 Daniel’s reputation is built off of what God has given him, not on personal accomplishments. That is how I wish to be known now/remembered when God is done with me on Earth.
5:13 Sometimes God has to take us out of our home and people to put us in a place to fulfill our purpose. Daniel would not have had the chance to advise the king of Assyria from Judah. We don’t have to be the guy in charge to change the world. We only need to be available, obedient and have a reputation of integrity when we are near kings. When we are stable and integrated individuals who are constantly looking out for the best in our leaders, they, who are often living precarious lives, will look to us for advice and support. That is when we have the chance to change the world.
On a side note: My father has taught me so much about having integrity and doing the work right the first time, every time; even if you have to work outside your expertise to do it. He has set a high bar and put plenty of ground under me to jump off.
5:18-24 In a related note, what a father passes to his child can mean the world, literally life and death, to that child. God calls all of us who are fathers, or will be fathers to teach our children all the lessons that God has taught us. I can’t imagine potentially throwing my kid’s life away because a conversation is tough or might be awkward. But then again, I am not a father yet, so I don’t know all of the pressures involved.
5:25-28 I guess this is where the phrase “the writing is on the wall” comes from.
5:30 God is never wrong. What he says goes. That hasn’t changed since… ever.