Compromise

There are many people today that fall into this trap of compromise.  In certain situations compromise is a good thing bringing about a satisfactory outcome in other cases it can be very sinful and addicting.  I think many believers engage in this behavior at times to keep from being persecuted.  I have found myself in this deception on more than one occasion, of which I am ashamed.  

One of these occasions happened years ago, it seemed like I was thought of as the “Preacher,”  “goody two shoes” or “better than thou” and on and on it went.  It was very hard to get some people to listen to me and all I was trying to do was help people and not to compromise the truth.  I never meant to hurt or offend anyone purposely.  At the time I didn’t have a TV and I spent most of my time either studying the Word, going to church, praying or reading Christian books or something that had to do with the Lord and my faith.  The Lord was the focus of my life and most everyone that I came into contact with knew it because that was what I would talk about most of the time.  The Word says, “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”  And that is what I feel about the Lord.  As time went on I thought I should get a TV and not be so overwhelming when I talked to people so that is what I did, which amounted to nothing but a compromise.  I thought that it would help me to be a better witness and people would be able to accept me easier that way, then I realized that it was just a deception that the devil was using to stifle my witness.  I learned that you don’t stoop to someone else’s level, you try to bring them up to your level and that will never happen by compromising your convictions.

Jesus said in John 15:20-21, “Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the One who sent me.”

You might make an excuse for compromising, and it seems like many do, saying that you don’t want to look self-righteous but when it is all said and done it is sin and deception and it is a flaw in your character if you treat it like it is no big deal.  To the Lord it is a real big deal and He calls it sin and He hates it.  Paul said this in Romans 6:15, “What then?  Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace?  God forbid.”  I had a pastor years ago that would throw in, “Of course not stupid!”  That helped me to remember this verse and what it meant.

When we compromise we teach the world that we are no different than they are and when people look at the church it’s hard to tell the difference in many ways.  If we neglect being the salt and the light then we will be no heavenly good.  So if you think you are going to win the world by compromise you are just fooling yourself.  All the world will think is that you are just like everyone else.  So if you have bought into this, repent and ask the Lord to forgive you like I had to do, then go and let your light shine and be the salt of the world that you have been called to be.  May God forgive you, God bless you!!