Readings for today: Nehemiah 12-13, Psalms 52
It usually starts small. A tiny step. A shift of one degree. One little compromise. We justify it in all sorts of ways. Surely God will understand. Surely God will make an exception this one time. Surely God knows we aren’t perfect. But then the compromises keep coming. A tiny step turns into several larger steps. One degree turns into two degrees then three. One little compromise opens the door to other, more significant compromises and the next thing we know, we are in full rebellion against God’s commands.
The last chapter of Nehemiah details a list of reforms he instituted for the people of Israel. It’s a startling way to end a book. No “happily ever after.” No “riding off into the sunset” for Nehemiah. His story ends in conflict. His story ends in confrontation. He even loses his temper and starts beating people and tearing out their hair! All this coming after an amazing time of worship where the entire population of Jerusalem gathered to sing the praises of God.
It is so easy for us to compromise. So easy for us to slide back into old habits. Someone once told me that humanity’s ability to sin is only surpassed by her ability to justify her sin. I believe it. I see it in my own life. The people of God compromised in all sorts of ways. They allowed people of foreign descent, people who worshipped other gods, to join them in worship at the Temple. For the sake of political expediency, they gave Tobiah - one of their sworn enemies - his own room in the Temple. They neglected to care for the Levites and other Temple servants by refusing to tithe, forcing them to fend for themselves. They refused to honor the Sabbath. They married foreign women. Their spiritual leaders desecrated their priestly office by intermarrying with those who did not worship Yahweh. In each case, I can almost hear the justifications. I can imagine the rationale. Our wives promised to put away their foreign gods! We’re trying to rebuild our lives and local economy and have to work on the Sabbath! If we give Tobiah a place of honor, perhaps he’ll leave us alone. From a human perspective, it all makes sense.
If I am honest, I too fall into these same traps. It’s easy for me to justify neglecting my time with God. It’s easy for me to attend worship on Sunday mornings and make it all about me and what I get out of it. It’s easy for me to justify working 24/7 without ever taking a break. It’s easy for me to give in to certain people in my life simply to avoid conflict. It’s easy for me to compromise my convictions for the sake of those I love. Frankly, it never ends well. Eventually all the little compromises I make start to stack up along the way, creating a burden far too heavy for me to bear. Eventually, the house of cards I build comes crashing down around me, leaving me far worse off than I could have imagined. God demands my obedience. Jesus Himself says, “If you love Me, you will obey My commands.” Following Christ is not easy. Following Christ requires great sacrifice. Following Christ means dying to “Self” with all its disordered desires and unrestrained passions.
Readings for tomorrow: Esther 1-5, Psalms 53