The one word that holds you back from a life of excellence

There are two different ways to live as a human. There's the person who's like a blossoming tree of life planted by a stream. Then there's the person who's like chaff blown away in the wind.

Everyone wants to live the good life, yet most people generally say their life is not all that good. It's fine. It's okay. But it could be exponentially better. 

That is because of compromise. 

My dictionary defines compromise as "accepting standards that are lower than desirable." In other words, to sell ourselves short. Give up too early. Sellout. Settle.

Compromise in Faith

Psalm 1 is one of my favorite passages. It's the path of the good life and the path of the chaff put side by side. 

Psalm 1:1-2

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.

Do you see the progression of compromise: step, stand, sit.

What begins with us passing sin by ends with us making company of it. Do you glance at sin, walk in step with it, or take it out on the dance floor? 

We will be given less when we settle for less in our walk with Jesus. 

If you look at the times in your life when you have fallen into sin, you could probably trace it back to a series of missteps—small compromises you made that led to the significant compromise that led to your fall. 

Compromise weakens us.