Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
— James 1:27
A New York family bought a ranch out west where they intended to raise cattle. So they packed up everything they owned and moved to their new home. It wasn’t long before they were settled in and friends came to visit. One of them asked if the ranch had a name.
“Well,” said the aspiring cattleman, “I wanted to name it the Bar-J. My wife favored Suzy-Q, one son liked the Flying-W, and the other wanted the Lazy-Y. So, we’ve decided to compromise and call it the Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy-Y Ranch.”
“So where are all your cattle?” the friends asked.
“Well, none survived the branding.”
There are times when compromise works well, and others when it doesn’t work at all. And in the Christian life, it can be tempting to look at what others believe and try to appease them by diluting your own faith. But very seldom, if ever, does compromise in areas of faith actually reach a satisfactory solution.
Don’t let compromise jeopardize your faith. Stay true to Scripture, and disagree agreeably with those who challenge you. Share the proven truth of the Bible with others, holding fast to your convictions, and praying God would work in their hearts.
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to help you never compromise when it comes to what He’s revealed to you in the Scriptures.
Questions for Thought
Name one area where you’ve been tempted to compromise in your faith. What passage of Scripture can you go to in order to be reassured of God’s truth in that area?
What are some examples of compromise that have taken place today with the Word of God? How have they been destructive to the witness of the Christian faith?