Daniel 6:4-5, The Message

The vice-regents and governors got together to find some old scandal or skeleton in Daniel's life that they could use against him, but they couldn't dig up anything. He was totally exemplary and trustworthy. They could find no evidence of negligence or misconduct. So they finally gave up and said, "We're never going to find anything against this Daniel unless we can cook up something religious."

Poor Daniel, much like the tabloids and paparazzi today, people always want to find the bad. No one supports or encourages an honest life anymore.

I found myself at home vegging in front of the TV tonight. There wasn't much to watch besides reality shows. "16 and Pregnant", "Little Couple", "18 kids and counting", "Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood", "Cake Boss"... really, this is what our creative and technological minds have created?

Anyway, I watched a few minutes of Tori and Dean and saw as they fought to maintain a normal family and normal daily activities (for a celebrity family anyway) amidst the paparazzi. Much like my Dad's blog from Sunday, I am shocked that we've elevated certain individuals to a celebrity status that never seems to have a truly happy ending for anyone. It seems exhausting to constantly need to look good and plaster a smile on your face because if you don't the gossip columns will jump all over it.

Have Christians also become a paranoid paparazzi people? Do we feel the need to hide what we're really feeling or where we're really going so that people don't get offended or jump to the wrong conclusion? I don't know about you, but I can't live my life with that kind of fear! Yes, I'm talking about authentic living (again!). Part of what makes Daniel's story so remarkable is that no one could find anything wrong with him until the changed the rules with the intent of making him either compromise or fail. Daniel's obedience is our example in a paparazzi culture to be steadfast and true. God will be glorified through us and we'll find more peace and less stress by not caring so much about the reactions of others. Just need to love God and love others.