pramsay posted on November 04, 2008 02:41 1845 views

Any Truth to the Rumors about You?

If you were running for the top job in your nation would the opposing parties uncover anything about you? (Hopefully as a Christian, you never will!) Opponents work around the clock trying to dig up dirt – something with which to smear your reputation and cause people to question your morality, integrity and honesty. Brutally, they will pick the smallest thing and exaggerate it to make you look like slime – so slippery you could never be trusted.

At the end of the day would they have anything on you? Would any of it stick? Would there be any truth to the rumors? If a private detective had been videotaping you over the last month with hidden cameras in your room and everywhere you were, would people’s good feelings about you suddenly change? Could you hold your head up with confidence if you knew people were digging for dirt on you? Or would your heart be thumping, fearing they would actually uncover that piece of your life? Would you be trying to rationalize why you made certain choices and would you be making up alibis to explain why you were caught there or seen doing that?

Would you be blameless or guilty?

Daniel served his God faithfully with singular devotion. The Lord blessed him over the years with amazing job opportunities and senior government positions. Now the King was considering Daniel for the top government job.

Other capable peers were jealous. It bugged the life out of them that Daniel was handed the plumb job. The ‘Tear Down Daniel’ campaign started. They scoured the offices for even rumored dirt on Daniel. They accessed his files – all of them! Like vultures, they hunted for a piece of juicy rotten meat. They openly asked for anyone who knew anything negative about Daniel to come forward with it.

“Any fault. Any secret. Any questionable behaviour – big or little, major or minor – on duty or after hours, his public or his private life – we’re looking for anything. Even if you’re not sure it’s true, please forward it to the Investigation Team anyway.”

Would you be sweating buckets if you were Christian Daniel? Or are you confident your Christian life (public and private) could stand-up under an in-depth review?

Here’s the eternal record on what they were able to nail Daniel with:

Then the presidents and the satraps

sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom,

but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault,

because

he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.

Then these men said,

“We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel

unless

we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

(Daniel 6:4-5)

“Give up – there’s not one piece of dirt we can find on him. No examples of living a double life. Nothing questionable whatever. All we can use against him is his singular devotion to his God. Let’s go after his prayer life.”

Our rule of thumb each day should be: ‘Would I want this to be in the headlines of the newspaper tomorrow?”  If the answer is NO – then I should run away from it as fast as my legs will carry me.

The Apostle Paul was daily conscious of living his life as an open book. Nothing hidden. In Acts 24:16 he said he made sure he had a clear conscience not only before God but before people.

To be exposed for a failure in your life is painfully damaging and humiliating. But to be attacked for being a faithful Christian is an honor – even if it means the den of lions.

“Lord, help me today to refrain from doing anything that would disappoint You. Stop me from damaging my testimony or dishonoring Christ in anyway.”

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ

Peter Ramsay

peter@heaven4sure.com

Translate