Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this
Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his
God.'--DANIEL vi. 5.
Daniel was somewhere about ninety years old when he was cast to the
lions. He had been for many years the real governor of the whole empire;
and, of course, in such a position had incurred much hatred and
jealousy. He was a foreigner and a worshipper of another God, and
therefore was all the more unpopular, as a Brahmin would be in England
if he were a Cabinet Minister. He was capable and honest, and therefore
all the incompetent and all the knavish officials would recognise in him
their natural enemy. So, hostile intrigues, which grow quickly in
courts, especially in Eastern courts, sprung up round him, and his
subordinates laid their heads together in order to ruin him. They say,
in the words of my text, 'We cannot find any holes to pick. There is
only one way to put him into antagonism to the law, and that is by
making a law which shall be in antagonism to God's law.' And so they
scheme to have the mad regulation enacted, which, in the sequel of the
story, we find was enforced.
These intriguers say, 'We shall not find any occasion against this
Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.'
Now, then, if we look at that confession, wrung from the lips of
malicious observers, we may, I think, get two or three lessons.
I. First, note the very unfavourable soil in which a character of
singular beauty and devout consecration may be rooted and grow.
What sort of a place was that court where Daniel was? Half shambles and
half pigsty. Luxury, sensuality, lust, self-seeking, idolatry, ruthless
cruelty, and the like were the environment of this man. And in the
middle of these there grew up that fair flower of a character, pure and
stainless, by the acknowledgment of enemies, and in which not even
accusers could find a speck or a spot. There are no circumstances in
which a man must have his garments spotted by the world. However deep
the filth through which he has to wade, if God sent him there, and if he
keeps hold of God's hand, his purity will be more stainless by reason of
the impurity round him. There were saints in Cæsar's household, and
depend upon it, they were more saintly saints just because they were in
Cæsar's household. You will always find that people who have any
goodness in them, and who live in conditions unusually opposed to
goodness, have a clearer faith, and a firmer grasp of their Master, and
a higher ideal of Christian life, just because of the foulness in which
they have to live. It may sound a paradox, but it is a deep truth that
unfavourable circumstances are the most favourable for the development
of Christian character. For that development comes, not by what we draw
from the things around, but by what we draw from the soil in which we
are rooted, even God Himself, in whom the roots find both anchorage and
nutriment. And the more we are thrown back upon Him, and the less we
find food for our best selves in the things about us, the more likely is
our religion to be robust and thorough-going, and conscious ever of His
presence. Resistance strengthens muscles, and the more there is need for
that in our Christian lives, the manlier and the stronger and the better
shall we probably be. Let no man or woman say, 'If only circumstances
were more favourable, oh, what a saint I could be; but how can I be one,
with all these unfavourable conditions? How can a man keep the purity of
his Christian life and the fervour of his Christian communion amidst the
tricks and chicanery and small things of Manchester business? How can a
woman find time to hold fellowship with God, when all day long she is
distracted in her nursery with all these children hanging on her to look
after? How can we, in our actual circumstances, reach the ideal of
Christian character?'
Ah, brother, if the ideal's being realised depends on circumstances, it
is a poor affair. It depends on you, and he that has vitality enough
within him to keep hold of Jesus Christ, has thereby power enough within
him to turn enemies into friends, and unfavourable circumstances into
helps instead of hindrances. Your ship can sail wonderfully near to the
wind if you trim the sails rightly, and keep a good, strong grip on the
helm, and the blasts that blow all but in your face, may be made to
carry you triumphantly into the haven of your desire. Remember Daniel,
in that godless court reeking with lust and cruelty, and learn that
purity and holiness and communion with God do not depend on environment,
but upon the inmost will of the man.