Babylon has fallen…
“It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen! … and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from her sensuality and excess. … The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, Because no one buys their cargo any longer…” – Revelation 18:2,3,11, CSB
Compromise: healthy and unhealthy
Regular compromise is a natural part of every healthy relationship and business endeavor, because not all compromise is sinful. It’s wise to recognize that win-win decisions and business deals are a healthy thing, much more effective and honorable than zero-sum predatory practices. There is also compromise that is unhealthy and even sinful: the kind we see in Revelation 18. ‘The System’ described for us here may sound familiar: the seemingly all-powerful ‘way things are done’ that requires bowing down to immoral practices that nevertheless get the job done or just pay the bills. This kind of compromise reveals a corrupt and broken willingness to profit from the sensuality and excess of ‘The System.’
Who mourns for Babylon the ‘Great?’
Who is it that mourns the fall of Babylon the Great in Revelation 18? It might seem surprising: dealers of precious metals, gem stones, lumber, fabrics, spices, wine, oil, and commodities are listed here. Also included are livestock suppliers and vehicle and transportation specialists, as well as the more obviously insidious human traffickers. ‘The System’ that cares nothing for righteousness or the witness of Jesus, and that can pollute almost any business endeavor is actually not all-powerful though. This means that those who invest their future and well-being with it will one day mourn that choice.
Building differently
The fall of ‘The System’ will one day come, and many across the world will lose all that they compromised – even their very souls – in order to gain and to build. Knowing this sobering fact, we are wise to build differently, to serve Jesus in every relationship and every business practice, every investment, and every contract we make. Babylon the Great will fall, and it is the higher authority of heaven that has already decreed that fall (Revelation 17:17-18:2). Any loss of short-term benefit because of God-honoring practice will pale in comparison to the blessing of being eternally partnered with God in His kingdom!
Think:
Do you view compromise more as a necessary evil or as a part of healthy relationships? What is most challenging for you about compromising in healthy ways to get things accomplished?
Write down one or two sentences describing a time when you compromised in an unhealthy way in order to ‘get things done,’ ‘close the deal,’ or ‘make ends meet.’
Write down one or two sentences describing a time when you sacrificed a short-term benefit because it would mean compromising in a sinful or unhealthy way.
Is there a decision or a ‘deal’ you are facing where you could feel tempted to compromise in some sinful way? Who is praying for you and encouraging you as you face this decision? (In the long run, you’ll be glad you honored Jesus more than you honored profits or gains earned through unrighteous methods.)
Prayer:
“Jesus, thank You this reminder today that my business dealings are not separate from my faith or my relationship with You. With the long view in mind, help me to persevere in honoring You through the way I conduct the ‘business’ of my life. May I be a blessing to Your people and to the peoples of the earth.”