Will You Compromise?

Deuteronomy 6:4,5 Listen, people of Israel! The LORD is our God. The LORD is the only God. You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Sometimes we’re faced with an ethical dilemma. On the one hand, you know what’s right and deep down you want to do the right thing. But the short-term rewards of doing the wrong thing are so great that you’re torn. Which way do you jump?

Back in the 1980’s, two former military colleagues and I formed an IT consulting firm. Graham was the Lieutenant Colonel, Mark the Major, and me the Captain. So, as the most senior and without doubt the smartest among us, we made Graham the boss. He was, and still remains, a man of deep faith. Back then, I definitely was not.

From the outset, he laid down this overriding principal by which we were to operate – regardless of the cost to us, we would always give advice that was in the best interests of our client. Sounds fair, until that ethical dilemma arises. There were so many instances when we could have twisted our advice for our financial gain. But he simply would never compromise.

Ultimately, based on that, we developed a strong reputation in the marketplace as honest brokers, which won us more work than we could ever have imagined. As one client once said to me, “The cream always floats to the top.”

Who or what do you put first in your life? For whom or for what will you simply never compromise, no matter how alluring the short-term gain may be?

Deuteronomy 6:4,5 Listen, people of Israel! The LORD is our God. The LORD is the only God. You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

No ifs, no buts, no maybes. 

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.