Craig Clouston

 No Compromise

September 8

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.

2 Peter 1:3

There were two packages sitting on the porch when Trent and Sheila arrived home. One contained a portable DVD player, the other an in-house DVD player. “I thought we were only supposed to get the portable player. Maybe they sent two by accident, and they aren’t aware of their mistake,” Trent reasoned.

“I don’t know, but we’d better find out,” Sheila responded.

Trent located the customer service number for the company, and dialed. “These automated services drive me nuts!” he said, putting it on speakerphone so he could make use of his time while waiting for them to respond. To his surprise, a customer service representative responded almost immediately. Trent explained to the rep that he believed they had received an extra item by mistake. “We got the portable DVD player we were supposed to get, but we received an in-house DVD player as well. Can you tell me what happened?” he asked.

The CSR asked Trent to wait a moment while she checked. Coming back on the line, she said, “We sent the second DVD player as a token of our appreciation because you waited for over ten weeks for your initial order due to multiple back orders.”

Trent said, “So you’re saying we get to keep them both?”

“Yes, sir!” the CSR said cheerfully. “Thanks for shopping with us.”

†

It would have been easy to keep the second item, no questions asked, and no one the wiser. But integrity doesn’t check itself at the door on occasion.

To have virtue is to have moral and ethical standards that don’t yield or compromise. They are standards grounded in righteousness and sustained through spiritual discipline.

Peter urged those of precious faith to be diligent in seeking good moral character, as it would serve them well in fending off corruption and temptation. Too many times we enjoy flirting with trouble only to have it shackle us. A match is more easily extinguished than a bonfire. Virtue is a deterrent to spiritual slippage.

Prayer

“It’s so easy to give in to small temptations, Lord. Stir in me a desire to remain pure before You. Create in me a hunger for the godliness You desire in my life. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”