By Paul Chappell
"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth
with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin
not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the
devil."
Ephesians 4:25-27
A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large
bear. When he was about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft, soothing
voice, "Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let’s
negotiate the matter." Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, "I
want a fur coat."
"Good," said the bear, "that is a negotiable
request. I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise."
They sat down to negotiate, and after a time the bear walked away alone. The
negotiations had been successful. The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter
had his fur coat!
If you give the devil even one inch, he will take a mile or
more. The pages of Scripture and of history are filled with the sad stories of
people who thought they could let down their guard just a little without
suffering any negative consequences. Each of them was wrong. Lot, Noah, David,
and Peter are just a few of the examples of those who made small first steps
toward wrong, thinking they were still in control, only to find themselves
mired in sin.
You may remember the saying many of us learned in Sunday
school: "Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer
than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay." There is
no negotiating with Satan. Anything that you give up he will take, but because
he is a liar, he will never keep a promise that he makes to you. Stand your
ground firmly, and never retreat on a single principle or conviction.
Today's Rooted Principle:
Never compromise your principles—once you start down that
road, you will find it hard to ever stop.
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