Choose Character Over Compromise

Abigail wasted no time. She quickly gathered 200 loaves of bread, two wineskins full of wine, five sheep that had been slaughtered, nearly a bushel of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 fig cakes. She packed them on donkeys and said to her servants, “Go on ahead. I will follow you shortly.”

1 Samuel 25:18–19

Pray

Lord, enlighten my mind with truth as I seek inspiration and guidance from your Word.

Observe 

Popular culture places achieving goals over faithfulness to God. It takes courage to stand up for our faith and choose character over achievement.

We live in a world that promotes compromise, that says, “Do whatever is necessary to accomplish your goals and meet your needs—even if it means disregarding your convictions.” When we read the biblical account of Abigail and Nabal in 1 Samuel 25:1–42, we observe a husband and wife with very different views on integrity. While Nabal was harsh and evil in his dealings, Abigail remained a loyal wife, yet refused to compromise when it came to honoring God’s calling to care for the needs of David’s men. She was strong and courageous in her faithfulness.

We must regularly examine our motives and ask ourselves: Is it more important for me to achieve my goals and meet my earthly desires than to value God’s calling and my character?

Abigail was a noble woman whose husband’s distinguishing characteristic was his ill-tempered attitude. Desiring to please God and with many lives at stake, she courageously chose to provide for David and his men.

Courageously maintain your integrity by practicing the following.

1. Think before you speak and act. Think about what you are thinking, consider how and what you are saying, and always objectively appraise each situation before you act.

2. Be accountable. Invite safe friends to inspect your life, to challenge you in maintaining your integrity. Give them permission to hold you accountable.

3. Be honest. Be upfront, truthful, and willing to admit when you’ve made a mistake or done something wrong.

4. Seek to please God. Base your decisions on what God thinks and not on what the world thinks.

Interpret

God is pleased when we choose faithfulness to him over our own personal desires and achievements.

Apply 

What area of your life are you most vulnerable to compromise? What specific plan can you put in place today to maintain and protect your devotion to godly character?

Pray

Father, protect me from compromise. Help me guard my heart and mind from being enticed by worldly possessions. And give me the ability to strive for Christlike behavior in everything I do.

This is an excerpt from Ann White’s 90-day devotional, “She Is Strong and Courageous”. Purchase the book here!