“Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God’ ” (Daniel 6:5).
She was just trying to save two lives. Maria Vaccarella of Howell, New Jersey, found an ailing squirrel in her backyard and put food in a cage to try to help the little critter. Soon after, she discovered the small mammal had given birth to a couple of babies. So, she watched the cage and, after a time, concluded that the mother had abandoned the infants. Maria then began taking care of the two newborns and even posted pictures on social media.
Not long after this she received a visit from local authorities. They asked if she had the squirrels and she proudly told them her story. The officers told her that what she was doing was illegal and that the squirrels must be rehabilitated. She immediately complied and handed over the cage. A few days later she received a $500 ticket. She protested in court and was threatened with a $1,000 fine and six months of jail time. Thankfully for her, the case was dismissed on a technicality.
Daniel was more than threatened by authorities for breaking the law. Though he was a statesman who was highly respected by the king, other leaders despised their co-worker and searched for a way to get him removed, “but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him” (Daniel 6:4). So, they hatched a plan to create a law that would use Daniel’s commitment to God to get him in legal trouble. It worked and he was thrown into the lion’s den.
Someday laws will be enacted by earthly governments that violate the law of God. Those who choose to obey the Lord will be threatened with death. But, like Daniel in the lion’s den, the faithful followers of Jesus will be surrounded by holy angels who will “shut the lions’ mouths” (verse 22). In heaven’s courtroom, their case will be dismissed, for God’s law stands above the regulations of human rulers.
O God, may I be an upright citizen who contributes to my community, but never at the expense of obedience to You.
