Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!’
Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no food was brought to him, and sleep fled from him.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, August 23, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Darius’ ego blows up in his face. Of course this story is ahistorical. I can’t believe anyone would be so stupid as not to realize how his ridiculous law would wind up affecting someone he held in such high esteem—a member of his own inner circle.
Then again, maybe it’s not so far-fetched. I mean, on a much smaller scale, I have a positive genius for forgetting to convey important information to my kids, for example, because my brain is off doing other things. I sometimes make decisions based on self without regard for how it affects them (and even when those decisions are perfectly acceptable, it would have been nice for me to talk it through with them before pulling the trigger).
Luckily, unlike Darius, I don’t have the power to pass a death sentence on someone accidentally. At worst I have to make an amends, verbally or by changing my plans or by working to do better at communicating the next time. Hopefully I continue to learn from my mistakes without being too hard on myself.
When have I made snap decisions based on self that negatively affected others? How did I make amends?
