Daniel in the Cubicle: Creative Discipleship in the WorkplaceSample

Creative discipleship is about a lifelong learning of one's context and discerning God's Word in that context. You cannot be a creative disciple alone—you need others. 

Following the king’s interpreter's failure to recall and explain his dream to him, he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be put to death, including Daniel and his friends.

It is interesting how in this story, some of the king’s other civil servants are named,and always in connection with a conversation with Daniel. Do you know the names of your employees or your colleagues? All of them? In Daniel 1 we read of Daniel’s dealings with Ashpenaz, the king’s official with whom Daniel speaks and comes to an agreement about the food that Daniel and his friends will or will not eat. 

In Daniel 2 he speaks with Arioch, the chief executioner—a wise friend to have and to know by name. Daniel responds with prudence and discretion to Arioch’s recounting of the king’s harsh decree, and we are told that Arioch further explained the matter to Daniel. Once Daniel had asked for more time to perform the interpretation, he went home and brought the matter to his friends. 

Daniel shows us the value of navigating relationships in the workplace, both with our co-workers and friends, and with our supposed opponents. In all his dealings, Daniel displays considerable respect and a desire to peaceably resolve conflicts.

Upon being sentenced to prison, Daniel urged Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to pray and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery. Daniel had some years of experience of praying under persecution and imprisonment, so when it came to this challenge—literally the threat of being executed—Daniel did what a creative and faithful disciple would do. He was wise and sought counsel from Arioch, finding out exactly what was going on. He brought the matter before his colleagues so that together they could pray to God because again, this is the Creator God who is with his people even in exile. The harsh realities of injustice and fear in the workplace were brought to this prayer group.