Excellent Spirit - Extreme Success!

For several weeks, I have struggled with writing a poem for our school theme.  I wrote draft upon draft, but still, it didn’t flow.  This morning, as I was driving to work, I thought about Daniel.  Yes, he had an Excellent Spirit and it brought him Extreme Success, but can you imagine the rejection he faced?  His own co-workers plotted to kill him.  They hated him, but he probably loved them and prayed for them. Can you imagine how heavy his heart must have been as he stood before the king and saw the smug faces of his peers? 

In life, we are going to face times of rejection.  We are going to have friends let us down.  We are going to get hurt.  It’s life.  A spouse may let down a spouse, a friend may let down a friend, a brother may let down a brother, a father, a daughter, a sister a brother, a mother, a son… and the list goes on and on.  Daniel set his spirit high, what I mean by that is he purposed that no matter what he faced he would look to the LORD and have a sweet spirit.  He always seemed to rise above what the world threw at him.  He wasn’t dealt a good hand by human perspective.  By the time, Daniel 6 takes place, Daniel is an old man.  His life experiences could have made him bitter, but instead, Daniel 6:3 says, “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”  He saw kings come and go, kingdoms rise and fall, through it all his attitude set him above all others.  My friend, you may be feeling rejected or hurt, can I encourage you to purpose to have an excellent spirit through it all?  And may I do the same.

People – they smile and pretend,

They say they’re your friend,

In the end, you’re in the Lion’s den,

Oh, Friend! Hope not in men!

Set your spirit high!

To the LORD draw nigh!

Day by day and Every day the same,

His promises we can claim!

No matter the rejection, no matter the pain.

When all is against you, do not wane!

Be like Daniel, who at his window knelt,

To do what was right, no worry he felt.

His spirit was of sweet Excellence,

And through it all, he had Extreme Success.

Set your spirit high!

To the LORD draw nigh!

Day by day and Every day the same,

His promises we can claim!

No matter the rejection, no matter the pain.

When all is against you, do not wane!

Faithful was he, no matter the accusation.

His spirit was sweet, he had the right foundation.

When all others turned on him,

His Excellent Spirit did not dim!

In that,he had great faithfulness,

Which brought him Extreme Success!

Set your spirit high!

To the LORD draw nigh!

Day by day and Every day the same,

His promises we can claim!

No matter the rejection, no matter the pain.

When all is against you, do not wane!