Compromise

The chief danger of the Church today is that it is trying to get on the same side as the world, instead of turning the world upside down. Our Master expects us to accomplish results, even if they bring opposition and conflict. Anything is better than compromise, apathy, and paralysis. God, give to us an intense cry for the old-time power of the Gospel and the Holy Ghost!  A.B. Simpson

I was talking to my Mom this weekend and she was telling us about a boss she had many years ago.  This particular boss asked my Mom to write up receipts that were not valid. In other words, he wanted her to help him steal from the company by adding receipts that weren’t actual business expenses.  I listened as my Mom talked about how he wanted her to write them up and she refused.  She was later fired from that job by the same boss and he made my Mom’s life miserable prior to her firing.  It struck me how much I admired my Mom for standing up for what was right.  That is an example of integrity.

How many of us would stand up and do the right thing no matter the consequences?  It reminds me of Peter and his denial in knowing Jesus prior to His death on the cross.  If we were placed in that position how would we handle it?  Would we deny Him three times as Peter did?

 

If you think about it, we deny knowing Jesus every day.  Too often we go to church on Sunday and project a Christian image but during the week no one would know we are a Christian or claim to be one. When we walk out into the marketplace and don’t live our life in that atmosphere as a Christian should, then we are denying knowing Jesus.  Everything He did in His life was for us.  How many times do we have conversations with others and don’t speak of Him or talk about Him?

 

I think one day there will come a time when each of us will be pushed into a corner like Peter was and if we are not prepared we will handle it as badly as Peter did.  Do you have a mediocre commitment to Jesus or an all out, no compromise attitude?  When the day comes for each of us to take a stand for God will we be prepared to take it?  Loving God means totally giving ourselves over to Him.  It means surrendering and relinquishing our life to Him.  It means to set aside what we want, placing our trust in Him that He knows what is best for us and will take care of us.  If we haven’t abandoned our lives to Him and allowed Him to steer us in the right direction, then we aren’t where we need to be.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I fail You so many times.  I allow the world to dictate how I will live when I should be looking to You for direction.  I pray for strength to stand up for You when the time comes.  There will be many times in my life where I will need to stand for You and I want to be prepared to do the right thing.  I praise You for Your strength and guidance in these troubled times. Help me not to compromise my faith because the world thinks differently than I do.

Scripture: And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.  1 John 4:16