Romans 14:18
Daniel 6:3-5
Daniel didn't base his actions on what would please the king or earn him respect among his fellow satraps and administrators. Yet as he lived in a manner to please God, his character attracted their attention. The king trusted him and the other administrators could find no wrongdoing to accuse him of because he was righteous. Yet he was righteous because he wanted to please the Lord, not because he was trying to earn their admiration. In a certain sense, we will be persecuted no matter what. Daniel was thrown to the lions because he was so upright in his actions while his colleagues were thrown to the lions for the opposite reason. Which would you rather be? The heroes we admire for generations afterward are more often those who change others' lives for the better. Please the Lord first and you will probably also earn the admiration of others. If you are persecuted instead, you will still have a heavenly reward to look forward to. But if you focus on the approbation of your peers, you will probably fail and will have nothing in heaven to show for your efforts.
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