The underlying motive described here is compromise. The individual oppresses the poor, an action he knows to be ungodly, because he believes that it will enable him to prosper. This is compromise. The spirit of compromise is the opposite of faith. Faith looks to God as the provider of all needs. Faith submits to God’s ways as the path to meeting our needs. Compromise takes matters out of God’s hands and assumes responsibility. It effectively says, “I can figure out how to be successful, happy, etc. I can meet my own needs.” Put in these terms, compromise is clearly wrong and clearly ridiculous. Without any real life issue before our face, we would clearly say that God knows better regarding both our desire and the means to achieve those desires. But when we get to real life issues, the clarity of compromise v. faith is easily obscured. We become masters of deluding ourselves that we are not compromising, that things are really quite gray, or that this activity is necessary on a temporary basis. This just again illustrates how desperately we need the reality of God and His truths saturating our minds. The walk of faith is a walk of prayer, trust, and seeking God’s word for direction and clear vision.