Imperceptible Compromise

People often ask us at Keswick, "What do you do after the hustle of the Summer Conference season?" Believe me, we never get bored; there is always much to do.

One morning I was preparing for our volunteers (whom we love and appreciate) to come in to gift wrap 150 devotional books. So I set out to prepare things in an orderly manner so as to make the process as efficient as possible (that's the Human Factors engineer in me - my first career). So - I set out the stacks of books, and put a tape dispenser at each work station. When I got all set up, I proceeded to pre-cut the gift wrap into the size that would fit the book. I cut the first one (which was just right) and used it as a guide for the second. Then I used the second to cut the third, and the third to cut the fourth, etc. After cutting about 20-25 sheets I took a book and attempted to wrap it.

That 25th sheet of gift wrap was 2 inches too big and made wrapping the book clumsy and awkward; much too large to do a neat job.

I then realized my error. I did not keep using my original sample sheet to cut all the other 24 and gradually, over time I unknowingly added 2 inches to the width of the paper.

Apparently what happened was that with each new sheet I added just a tiny bit to the width which seemed so insignificant, but over time - it was significant.

I immediately thought of our walk with Christ - unless we regularly check or align ourselves with the Christ, the One True God, we will adapt and adjust, compromise as it were, imperceptible amounts until over time we are significantly off our target.

Are you sticking with the truth? Are you regularly reading the Word? Are you looking to Jesus Christ for your standard of righteousness or are you comparing yourself to others and getting drawn off course a little at a time?

How can a young man (woman) keep his (her) way pure? By guarding it according to your word. Psalm 119:9

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America's Keswick. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 years. She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all. She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.