Without Compromise, pt. 9: A Quick Review

When I started a personal Bible study on the book of Ezra several years ago, I wasn’t expecting that I would turn my own study notes into a book about leadership, but that’s what happened (Leadership Ezra, available on Amazon).  When that was done, I started a study of Daniel, and never made it past the first chapter before organizing my personal notes into a series of valuable lessons to share with students.  As time has gone on, God seems to be prompting me to do more with it, so I have begun the process of turning my notes into short articles, that will then become the basis for chapters in a book (current working title: “Without Compromise: Leading with integrity in the face of pressure”). 

The underlying basis of the story is this:  In the time and world of Daniel, Israel and the capital city of Jerusalem were invaded and captured.  In that process, the most gifted and talented young men were given a “scholarship” [albeit, against their will] to attend the most elite private school in the known world, one designed to prepare leaders & experts (Daniel 1:3).  Upon graduation, Daniel and his friends were at the top of the class and were hired into executive leadership positions right out of school (Daniel 1:17-20).  But here’s an incredibly significant observation: In between . . . they refused to compromise their faith, values, and integrity.  

How did they do it? We have talked about a number of lessons in the last couple of months. You may find different lessons that are valuable for your own leadership, but I see at least these:

• The Foundational Lesson: What you believe and how you live go together.  Know what you believe and why it matters; just as importantly, your actions must match your beliefs.
• The Lesson of Circumstances: In all circumstances, God has an intentional purpose for your life; you often have no choice over the circumstances, but you do get to choose your response, your trust, and your obedience.
• The Lesson of Ability:  God has gifted you with talents and abilities that are unique to you, and He wants to (and can) use them for His purpose.
• The Lesson of Wisdom:  The importance of intentionally pursuing knowledge (grasp of accurate information), understanding (knowing why it matters), and wisdom (knowing how to apply it godliness and life-decisions).
• The Lesson of Integrity:  The importance of consistently matching your behavior (conduct) with your beliefs (convictions), with the refusal to compromise regardless of the pressure (while balancing truth with love).
• The Lesson of Relationship:  Relationships matter, and they open the door to impact.  Seek and build positive relationships among believers, and be gentle, loving, compassionate, and considerate to all.
• The Lesson of Outcomes:  God is involved and active in your life, even in the midst of trials and challenges. Learn to see and trust His hand in the process and in the outcome.  Be intentional about maintaining a community of believers to walk through life with you.
• The Lesson of Purpose:  You have a part and a purpose in God’s story.  See your life experiences through that lens, and find where your identity and abilities align with the opportunities God places in front of you.

Remember that the intent of this was to learn from Daniel how to keep ourselves from compromising our faith when we face the pressure to do so.  The starting point of the eight lessons is recognizing the importance of aligning beliefs and behavior, or convictions and conduct.  The basis of all the other elements is knowing what you believe and ensuring that your words and your actions reflect it.  If these things don’t match: 1) you will be labeled as a hypocrite; 2) people won’t believe you and therefore won’t follow you; and 3) you won’t have the internal strength to keep from compromising.  My challenge and encouragement to you is to resolve this first, then review the other principles and lessons to apply them in your own life.