Dan 1:20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. The spirit that inhabited Daniel is the same spirit that inhabits us as believers. It is the spirit of excellence, of counsel and wisdom that is manifested in its fullest in Jesus. In all matters of wisdom and understanding, not necessarily of information and knowledge, Daniel and his friends were found to be ten times better than their colleagues. Similarly, in matters of insight, each of us must personify the spirit of excellence. Our insight and excellence should find its practical expression in our attempts to improve things around us. We should not leave things as they are but strive to make it at least a little better than we found it. Daniel and his companions disciplined themselves so as not to defile themselves with the seductions of life in the palace. Today, we are discipled by the Holy Spirit. We are called to keep our bodies undefiled temples of God. We must constantly tune our receivers to receive the correct interpretation of the Word or of a dream or of a vision. The outcome of our efforts will be increased productivity and the favour of God and man. Our productivity measured in whatever terms will be thirty times, sixty times or even a hundred times what it was earlier. Our outcome determines our income. Daniel’s wisdom won him the favour of successive kings who showered him with gift and honours. Daniel was given wisdom and might: Wisdom to interpret dreams and visions such that no vision troubled him or was too difficult for him to interpret and might or strength to share the interpretation he received from the Lord boldly but graciously and without any inhibition. He did not tell the king what he liked to hear or fear for his life for daring to tell it. We too must pray asking for abundant and abiding wisdom and boldness in declaring the Word of the Lord. Prateep V Philip