A Poke in the Eye

The more I think about the deal that Nabash offered the people of Jabesh Gilead (1 Samuel 11.1-2), the clearer it is to me that  that whenever we opt for a compromise, or cut a deal with the world, it always involves severe loss--e.g.getting an eye poked out.  These compromises never come free. The enemy drives a cheeky bargain--he knows how much we crave for certain things and he will push hard for a serious payment. And depending how vulnerable we feel, we may pay up.

His evil purpose runs deeper than just causing us misery--he aims to bring disgrace on God's people (v2) and beyond that his ultimate aim is to tear at God's glory. He sees our weakness as a way to do it.

Perhaps we would be more resistant to compromise if we realised that we are not just risking ourselves when submit to his eye-gouging, but we are bringing disgrace on God's people (discouraging them) and being used as pawns in an attack on God's glory.

Two things, then, that show how costly compromise with the world is:

1. Compromise always comes with serious loss (in this case 1/2 their eyesight).
2. There is even a bigger defeat than personal consequences if we compromise, because we are being manipulated into disgracing the Church and attacking God's glory.

Resolution:
Submit yourself to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4.7
Put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Eph 6.13