Compromise

What comes to mind when you hear the word compromise? Does this word hold a positive or a negative connotation for you?

One definition says that compromise is the settlement of differences by mutual concessions, or an agreement reached by adjusting conflicting or opposing opinions.

That sounds positive, doesn’t it? If we don’t make some compromises, how do we ever get things done? For example, if one party wants blue carpet and the other wants red carpet, unless there is some sort of compromise, there will be no carpet! That’s a silly example, but you get the point.

We make compromises every day. You go to the grocery store intending to buy steak. But the steak is too expensive, so you choose ground beef instead. That’s a compromise. You go to your favorite dress shop, intending to buy the perfect LBD (little black dress), but they don’t have the one you want in your size. Instead, you make a different choice. That’s a compromise. These compromises are perfectly innocent and acceptable and necessary.

We often hear about compromise in the political arena. Each political party has strongly held opinions. In order for the work of government to move forward, these politicians must find common ground, the points on which they can agree, with each being willing to give a little on points of disagreement. That’s compromise. Unfortunately, in the current political climate, each side just digs its heels in and refuses to budge an inch. That wasn’t always the case. In the not so distant past, politicians would work together to find solutions, points of agreement, that would lead to a compromise that would benefit the nation. History books are filled with these compromises (the Missouri Compromise of 1820, for example) where compromise was a good thing.

However, there’s another definition for the word compromise: an endangering, especially of reputation; exposure to danger, suspicion, etc.

This is the negative side of compromise. We use the word compromise in this way to refer to the compromise of a person’s integrity, or we often here it in a medical sense, such as when a person’s immune system is compromised. I have recently been more aware of compromise in this sense than I ever wanted to be, as I recently became aware that one of my social media accounts had been compromised. The result was that an unknown person took over my account and posted things, in my name, that I never would have considered posting. My account was compromised, and I feel violated.

We must be alert for compromise. We must be on guard for the negative compromises. And we must be willing to make compromises in our personal and family relationships. (How else will we decide where to go to dinner?)

But there are some areas where we must never compromise. We must guard our integrity. And we must never compromise when it comes to God’s Word. No matter what the world or social media or political whim may say, the Bible is our authority. The Bible is our plumb line. 

How do we avoid compromise in this area? We must read the Scripture. Study it. Memorize it. This is our safeguard against compromising our spiritual integrity.

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11 ESV)