Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.
-Daniel 6:4 (NLT)

One of my all-time favorite movies is the 2005 superhero flick Batman Begins. Near the end of the film, Batman is in the process of saving Gotham City when his childhood friend Rachel asks about his identity. Batman responds by re-quoting something that she said to him earlier: “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.”

In the Chapter 6 of Daniel, we find the author in a difficult situation. Daniel had worked extremely hard and honorably as an administrator for King Darius, and was soon to be rewarded with a promotion. The other administrators were jealous, but no matter how exhaustively they searched, they couldn’t find anything negative to charge him with. His record was spotless. Daniel was above reproach. He was a man of integrity.

Have you ever heard someone stand up for them self by saying, “Deep down I am a good person” or “Deep down I want to do the right thing”?

Think about it… Is having to dig “deep down” to find goodness in you really what we want to settle for? You see, Daniel was so consistent living a life of incorruptibility that his godliness poured out as soon as you scratched the surface… That’s the kind of character I want to be know for!

There comes a point where we have to take responsibility and control of who we are. Whether it’s your occupation, your school, your family, your team, or your church… As Christians, in all that we do, we should strive to be persons defined by integrity. Faithful people. Responsible people. Trustworthy people. And not just “deep down”.

It’s not who you are underneath. It’s what you do that defines you.