TODAY IN THE WORD
Several infamously silly laws decree that in one city it is illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp. In another town it is supposedly against the law to walk down Main Street with a lunchbox. It seems pretty clear that these laws are written because one person's behavior makes waves in a community. There's no fundamental precept being violated by parking a giraffe, so banning it requires some pretty creative lawmaking.

That was the approach of Daniel's enemies within the leadership of Darius's kingdom. They knew there was nothing wrong with anything he did, so they attacked Daniel at his most devoted point: his God. They knew from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that in a conflict between the king's law and God's law, Daniel would choose God every time.

So they approached Darius with a wicked proposal, and they followed the anatomy of a con game perfectly. It began with an outright lie. They claimed that all the royal leaders agreed on a new edict, when the king's top official obviously had not been consulted. How many of the leaders actually agreed to this edict, we don't know, but they sold the king the falsehood of universal acceptance.

The next part of their plan catered to the king's ego, a vulnerable spot for any leader. To an ancient king, a law requiring worship of only yourself doesn't sound so bad. The proposal served only to boost his own image without achieving any other purpose, and that should have alerted the king to the futility of the decree. He was blinded by pride, though, opening himself to the final and most dangerous part of the deception.

The leaders eliminated the escape clause. They suggested that the king make the law irrevocable. Why would the king need to restrict himself? If he were truly worthy of worship, he wouldn't have let his subjects tell him how to write his own laws. But there was no turning back. He found nothing wrong with the suggested law, and he put the foolish edict into writing.

---

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Deceptions like these aren't unique to the ancient world. Individuals and businesses are constantly looking for ways to take advantage of people who are easily fooled. Always be on the lookout for offers that mirror the proposal in today's reading. Verify the facts and read all the fine print. Be especially wary of offers that aim to boost your own ego. We tend to open ourselves to be tricked when we divert glory to ourselves that belongs to God.

< Previous Day

Next Day >