Harriet worked for a high end department store on their receiving team. When she first started, she noticed that at the end of every month the cosmetics department would send down a garbage can filled with cosmetics to be thrown out. She asked her boss if she could take some home. She found out the store had a policy that old cosmetics could not be taken by the employees. For a while, that was good enough for Harriet.
Over time she noticed how her boss and the other team leaders would take merchandise home. No one seemed upset at the open theft taking place. Harriet rationalized that if the team leaders did it then it must be fine for others to as well.
At Christmas time the cosmetics department dumped all of their fall lines and replaced them with new product, just in time for the holidays. Working late one evening she was assigned to take all the old cosmetics to the dumpster. There, on top of the pile, was an unopened package of blush. As she made her way to the dumpster she took the package and placed it in her locker. After work she hurried out the door but no one at the store was any the wiser. Some of the blush she used, some she gave to family, and some she sold on Ebay.
Harriet began looking forward to the end of the month when she could sort through the garbage and stock up. At first it was just one or two items. Then it was more and more. By the time she was caught she was skimming new product before it reached the floor.
What happened to Harriet?
How did Harriet slip into a pattern of ungodly compromise?
Based on our discussion, how would you define a bad compromise?
Is there such a thing as a godly compromise?
How can you determine if a potential compromise is bad or godly?
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