“Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.” Daniel 6:3 NKJV
In the workplace, employers consistently reward excellence because it demonstrates outstanding qualities. However, it is essential to remember that excellence is not an innate attribute, but rather a habit that anyone can cultivate. This means that each one of us has the potential to achieve excellence in our work and spiritual life.
The Bible describes Daniel as an excellent man. He stood out in all the ways that mattered and would not compromise for anyone, not even the king. It is not surprising that the king set him to be a ruler, as we see from our anchor scripture.
The importance of excellence cannot be overstated, especially given the sensitivity of our assignment as believers. We are not just individuals striving for personal success; we are God’s representatives on the earth(2 Corinthians 5:20). Souls depend on the work we do, and this should be our driving force to excel in all that we do.
We can learn commitment and faithfulness from Daniel. He was committed to upholding his convictions and demonstrated dedication to the duties assigned to him. This commitment is also evident in his integrity, as seen in Daniel 4:6, when the leaders tried to find fault with him to no avail.
In addition to his commitment, Daniel was also competent in several areas. Being qualified means having the capacity to function in assigned roles or contribute the right skills to any task assigned. Daniel’s competency made him relevant in his time and highly sought after, due to the great wisdom he demonstrated (Daniel 5:12).
Excellence made it easy for Daniel to serve under different administrations. Think about it this way: Daniel served various kinds of kings from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar, to Darius, all the way to Cyrus. With every one of these leaders, Daniel always seemed to move to the top of the organisation.
As we have seen in Daniel’s life, excellence is a powerful tool that can open doors and attract attention. While favour may come once in a while, excellence ensures a consistent stream of opportunities. It is not just about personal success, but about using these opportunities to influence and propagate the ideologies of God’s kingdom on earth.
Just as Daniel, you must continually strive to excel in the expression of your gifts and talents. God is counting on you to be committed to excellence in all that you do.
Bible Reading Plan: Ezekiel 22–23; John 2:1–25