1 Samuel 11:2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”
Are you a one-eyed Christian?
The Ammonites were pressing hard against the little Israelite city of Jabesh. Vastly outnumbered, the men of Jabesh asked their enemies if they would make a treaty with them. The Ammonites agreed, but on one condition. They would gouge out the right eye of every inhabitant in the city.
That the men of Jabesh entertained the idea of making a treaty with the Ammonites in the first place reveals how far they had fallen from the Lord. Their covenant with God stipulated they were not to compromise with the surrounding Gentile nations. Yet when faced with taking a stand against the imposing threat or negotiating a way out, they abandoned God and sought to negotiate. Only when the brutal terms of their surrender became known, did they seek help from their fellow Israelites.
In spite of Jabesh’s spineless lack of valor, the tribes of Israel responded to their cry for help. They completely routed the Ammonites and rescued their countrymen from defeat and degradation. All right eyes were left intact!
I think compromising with the enemies of God is like having our right eyes gouged. I’m afraid some of us are running around with impaired vision. And we probably don’t even realize it.
We now live in a culture attempting to steamroll over every Christian principle in sight. It’s challenging to stand firm on the rock of truth when society’s influencers present a new definition of truth every day. The more we allow the world’s perspective to cloud our vision, the more we look like one-eyed Christians.
But there are other, more subtle enemies tucked securely in our hearts. These are the truly powerful ones, capable of gouging out both eyes. When we fail to fight the forces of self-centeredness, judgmentalism, and pride we in essence are making a treaty with the enemy of our souls. We give him access to our vision and in the end bring disgrace upon the Body of Christ because we distort what He looks like.
But we don’t have to compromise! We can cry out to God and fellow believers for help. Help to keep us from becoming one-eyed Christians.