Unfortunately, Daniel of lion’s den fame isn’t running for office this year but perhaps the example of this Biblical politician could help us think about what we should look for in those we vote for rather than simply voting for a personality, party, platform, or promises as to what he/she will do for us or our cause.
Historically, Christians have always said that “character matters” and have cast their votes on that basis. Do we still hold to that principle or have we now decided that “the end justifies the means”?
So what was Daniel the ancient politician like? What did his opponents attack and criticize him for?
“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his EXCEPTIONAL QUALITIES that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find NO CORRUPTION IN HIM, because he was TRUSTWORTHY and NEITHER CORRUPT NOR NEGLIGENT. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God” (Daniel 6:3-5).
Let me challenge my friends to cast a “CHARACTER VOTE” in November. We probably don’t have many (any?) Daniels we can vote for but we certainly should NOT vote for anyone who is the opposite of Daniel–untrustworthy and corrupt. “God, please raise up Daniels for our day. Please give us leaders who are trustworthy and not corrupt.”
