Dr. Robert W. Odom
Over the last few weeks, I have been mulling over a news article I read. The article detailed the confession of a popular contemporary Christian singer who had been using drugs and taking advantage of young men. What bothered me most was that those around him knew this, and it appears they did little to help him.
As I pondered this, I began to think about how easy it is for us to make decisions that lead to bad choices and consequences that harm many. Most of the time, small choices and compromises develop a pattern. Left unchecked, these small decisions lead to patterns and ways of living that cause damage to our psyche and those around us. I do want to note that small positive choices can also lead to positive outcomes.
Too many who have been in the spotlight have fallen because of sinful practices that have been covered up or ignored. My guess is that these failures usually began with small decisions and compromises.
My goal is not judgment but a desire to give great grace. I give grace because any one of us can be in a position to make small compromises that lead to unhealthy patterns in our lives. We all live with the vulnerability to want to hide and cover over those things that we do not wish to be in the open. The pressure to perform and present a confident persona can cloud our decisions. It is also based on what we believe we can hide and get away with.
This is nothing new. We see this story played out over and over again. From the beginning, humanity has had selfish issues that lead to poor decisions (Genesis 1-3). These decisions lead to a lifestyle not aligned with God’s plan and purpose. What began in the Garden of Eden continues today. In the Garden, we see the failure of humanity to obey God’s one command. When they disobeyed this command, they immediately tried to hide and cover up the sin. Notice the pattern. They saw. They wanted. They took. They hid. A read of Genesis 3 reveals this pattern. It is a pattern that continues into the present day.
One Biblical story that stands out to me is the story of David. He was the King that God appointed. Samuel had anointed David to lead the nation of Israel. In this calling and position of power, David let his guard down and failed to live the kind of life God wanted. He made a series of decisions that positioned him to make bad choices.
Many of you may know the story but let me share it briefly for those who do not (2 Samuel 11). The Israelites were in battle, and David, the army’s Commander-in-Chief, should have been on the field with his troops. Instead, he was at home. This was his first step of compromise. He went to the rooftop of his palace, where he saw a woman bathing across the lane. He lusted for her. This was his second step of compromise. He sent for her. As the king, he could summon anyone, and they had to approach him. If not, they could face the penalty of death. This was his third step of compromise.
She came to him, and eventually they were intimate, and she became pregnant. But instead of stepping up and making the right decisions, he continued to slide into deception and lies. Bathsheba, the woman he had impregnated, had a husband named Uriah, who was on the front line. David ordered him to come home and spend some time with Bathsheba. David’s plan was that Uriah would make love to Bathsheba, and everyone would believe that Uriah was the father.
Being a man of integrity and committed to the troops Uriah led, he did not want this. His focus was on winning the battle. His priorities were in order. Uriah requested to be returned to the front lines. David then schemed another plan and slid deeper into transgression. Uriah was sent back to the frontline, where David sent a letter to Joab, the army commander. His order was to have Uriah on the front lines of the fiercest battle. His goal was to have Uriah killed. And he was. This was David’s fourth step of compromise.
David now takes Bathsheba as his wife. For those around David, he seemed to be such a good guy. But this was just another ploy to hide his sin. The child was born but died shortly thereafter.
One thing is common to every story of compromise. When someone falls it is often associated with taking small steps and making small decisions away from the purposes of God. In each case, they see something or desire something. Then they move to wanting what they cannot or should not have. Sometimes, these are even good things, but not the best things for them. Then they step into the sin and take what they cannot have. Finally, they try to hide their sin.
Every significant compromise in our lives starts with small decisions that lead to greater problems. We compromise our standards and make decisions that begin a slide backward. Eventually, we get blinded by the safety we feel that no one will find out and that we have it under control. But do we?
These actions tend to come to light and, in the process, cause significant distress and pain to those who took these steps and those impacted by these actions. You can read Genesis 3 to see the results of the compromises made by Adam and Eve. David lost the kingdom he loved. He faced great rebellion from his sons. And he lost the son he had by Bathsheba.
But that is not the end of the story. God’s amazing grace is available to all. God still loved David. He was still in the ancestral line for Jesus. God did not disown him. Neither does God do that for us. He does not disown us. He desires to restore our hearts and spirits. We may face the consequences, but He does not stop loving us.
God still loves the singer who confessed. They still have remarkable grace and a place in the kingdom of God. They can repent, change, and make good decisions that will direct them to a positive space of emotional, mental, and spiritual health. But they have to make good decisions.
So, let me ask you?
· What steps and decisions have you made that might lead you to compromise?
· What do you need to change in your life that would redirect you toward a healthy space?
· Where do you need to confront someone who is living in a way that is not unhealthy? How would you do this?
· Are the actions you are taking honoring God or dishonoring His will? Think about this about write down your thoughts.
Life on the edge 