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The nature of compromise

As you know, Friday night our government came within minutes of shutting down due to the lack of a budget or continuing resolution. After much vigorous discussion and wrangling over issues an agreement was reached. Commenting on this agreement, President Obama said, “Like any worthwhile compromise, both sides had to make tough decisions and give…

As you know, Friday night our government came within minutes of shutting down due to the lack of a budget or continuing resolution.

After much vigorous discussion and wrangling over issues an agreement was reached.

Commenting on this agreement, President Obama said, “Like any worthwhile compromise, both sides had to make tough decisions and give ground on issues that were important to them.” (see entire article here)

I’d like to know, what do you think about compromise? This is not exclusively a political discussion. This has ramifications for theology, parenting, financial, relational and a host of other contexts too.

What are your best thoughts about compromise?

Do you have non-negotiables; beliefs, etc. you will never back down from?

What happens in a disagreement when the other party won’t compromise? What do you do? Stay and play? Leave? Stay and fight? Became apathetic?

OK… let’s have this conversation…

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Response to “The nature of compromise”

  1. Brian Miller

    I’ll tab a stab at this and invite criticism in order to get the discussion moving. The first thing I’d like to say is the fathers of our constitution championed tolerance when they permitted people to worship as they please. Our country has extolled tolerance of other nationalities and cultures when immigrants flocked to this country at the turn of the 20th century. We consider tolerance of other nationalities, cultures and religious beliefs the cornerstone of our heritage. After all, aren’t we the world’s great melting pot? This tolerance has created a diverse group of people that make up the United States. But with diversity come diverse opinions and diverse views on politics, religion, morality, etc. And eventually some people from each of the different backgrounds make their way into the political arena, are elected, and seek to influence others with their own “world-view.” Yet we all know that while we can passionately argue our own views, other people from other religious, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds have altogether contrary views or at least slightly different ways of seeing things. So how do we make decisions and move forward instead of winding up in complete gridlock? We must engage with others in passionate unfiltered debate about what we must do to succeed and then hear their side, much like our forefathers of this great nation. And then after all has been said, we must attempt to find common ground, and make some compromises that we can all live with, much in same way that different denominations must find common ground for the sake of furthering Jesus Christ. With all that being said, I do have certain non-negotiables that I live by and cannot compromise. The Apostles Creed pretty much sums up my core religious beliefs that are non-negotiable, along with the 10 commandments (which I fail miserably at, especially the one that deals with coveting). In conclusion, if at all possible, we should try to build bridges to others rather than create a chasm between us that neither can cross.

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