We would not allow a doctor with no integrity or virtue to operate on us why allow people with no integrity to rule us?
Virtue is defined as the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. Integrity is defined as an undivided or unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting. Integrity is conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong, absolute devotion to telling the truth and faithfulness to high moral standard.
Virtue (Latin: Virtus, Ancient Greek: ἀρετή [Ed comment: See word study of this great Greek word – arete]) is moral excellence. A virtue is a trait or quality deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting collective and individual greatness. The opposite of virtue is vice.
Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness. It is generally a personal choice to hold oneself to consistent moral and ethical standards.
Daniel was a man of virtue, not vice. Daniel was a man of principle not passion. And what made Daniel such a virtuous man, such a man of character and peerless integrity (read how “peerless” in Ezekiel 14:14, 20-note!)
Daniel “set his sails” early in life to chart a course that would enable him to become one of the men of highest character and integrity in the history of the world.
When faced with the choice to compromise his moral and ethical standards, undoubtedly instilled in him by godly parents in Jerusalem, Daniel as a captive in pagan Babylon made the most critical choice of his life.
Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abed-nego. 8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so, he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials… (Daniel 1:7-9-note)
Later in life Daniel was elevated by the pagan regime to the position of one of three commissioners over all the satraps (Da 6:4-note). Given the fact that a man or woman of integrity may become a target for those who lack integrity we are not surprised at the fallout of Daniel’s fame! This promotion evoked great jealously in the other godless, pagan leaders who sought to take Daniel’s life by deceptively coercing King Darius to “establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den.” (Daniel 6:7- note) Men of integrity are committed men. Daniel was committed to honoring His God regardless of the cost!
In short, Daniel began his life by not compromising his beliefs (Da 1:8) and maintained this uncompromising mindset all the days of his life. That is integrity on display for the lost world to see! And God repaid him for his integrity, as seen in the story where the lions did not touch a hair on his head.
Integrity is the quality of being Honest and having strong moral Principles, moral uprightness. It is Generally a personal choice to hold Oneself to consistent moral and ethical Standards.
