ABOUT THE VALUE OF COMPROMISE

"Always does the socialized religion of a new revelation pay the price of compromise with the established forms and usages of the preceding religion which it seeks to salvage.” [UB 144:7:1]

Thought Adjuster: “You were reading about the Value of Compromise at the onset of Christianity. Paul, because he was a good negotiator, was able to spread Christianity in the Occident. He did water down some of its messages but, by doing so, was able to keep its flame alive. On the other hand, Abner, who was unyielding in spreading the original Christian message, was not so successful, and Islam was able to take over much of the Orient.

“Many of you may think that Paul’s compromises were detrimental to the spreading of Jesus’ powerful message of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. Yet, in the end, his epistle fared much better than Abner’s.

“Indeed, evolution is a much preferable agent of change than the radicalism of revolutions. Haven’t you evolved in your thinking due to the influence of some life’s unforeseen circumstances? Crisis situations are mighty factors of change, as they stimulate individual resourcefulness and lead many to realize that their current belief systems do not fare well under such harsh testing and need to be amended.

“The more intimate human relationships are, the more they need compromises. It is definitely the case in marital relationships. The couples who can find mutually acceptable middle ground preserve their existence as such.

“Two pampered and spoiled youths, educated to expect every indulgence and full gratification of vanity and ego, can hardly hope to make a great success of marriage and home building—a lifelong partnership of self-effacement, compromise, devotion, and unselfish dedication to child culture. [UB 83:7:6]

“Do not look down at compromises. Isn’t a cease-fire by far preferable to full-blown hostilities? To be able to compromise also requires a form of humility from both parties, which is a good thing in itself. Pride stands in the way of compromises and has been a mighty stumbling block in the course of history. It caused many wars, human losses, and widespread destruction, at many levels of human existence.

“Patience is also a prerequisite to compromises. Often, you do have to bide your time, keeping faith that the outcome will be favorable in spite of the delays of time. It does take time for things or circumstances to mature.”