"Gradually and then slowly"

"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked,

for whatever one sows, that will he also reap."

Galatians 6:7

This Hit Me Hard

I attended a regular monthly business luncheon that is always good. However, I was not prepared for the amazing reminder that I would hear that day. It was a sobering and emotional reminder of the power of our decisions and the ripple effect they can have on innocent people for years to come when we don’t abide in Christ.

Here Is Randy Green’s Story… [Summarized]

The collapse of Enron in 2001 reminds us that moral failure rarely happens all at once. It happens quietly, incrementally—through small compromises, subtle rationalizations, and decisions that seem harmless in the moment.

As Ernest Hemingway famously wrote, in his 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises.

"How did you go bankrupt?" Bill asked. "Two ways," Mike said. "Gradually and then suddenly."

Enron’s downfall followed that same pattern. Leaders didn’t wake up one day and choose collapse; they chose selfishness over integrity again and again until there was no moral margin left.

This erosion had devastating consequences—not just for corporations, but for people. Through the collapse of both “giant” companies, thousands of employees lost their jobs, their savings, and their trust. Retirements evaporated. Families were destabilized. Careers were derailed. Some people even took their own lives despite never contributing to any of the unethical decisions that caused this tragedy.

Randy Green, an innocent employee of Arthur Andersen (Enron’s accounting firm and Arthur Andersen’s top client), experienced this firsthand when the firm collapsed alongside Enron.

Andersen’s failure wasn’t only legal or financial—it was moral. And when the firm fell, innocent employees paid the price for decisions made far above them. See more of the story…

Our Takeaways

This is why moral margin matters, men!

Moral margin is the space that allows us to choose what is right when pressure mounts. When that margin disappears, people don’t suddenly become unethical—they simply lack the strength, clarity, or courage to resist what once would have stopped them in their tracks and make the God-honoring decision in the moment.

Spiritual disciplines are essential to preserving that margin. Practices like prayer and fasting, Scripture, meditation, Sabbath, confession, and accountability do more than shape our beliefs—they shape our character. They slow us down, send warning signs, and keep our hearts aligned with truth rather than success or approval. Without them, compromise becomes easier to justify and harder to recognize.

Fight the Drift

Enron and Arthur Andersen's story is a cautionary tale, but it is also a call to awareness. Integrity is not built in crisis. It is formed in the daily disciplines that protect moral margin—long before the pressure comes.

Be intentional about abiding in Christ, and you will not have time to experience “the drift” that happens in a man’s life—something we talk about so passionately in MD5.

No one is immune to moral failure, so be on guard and put on the “full armor of God” daily!

Follow your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, into a greater relationship with Him today and experience the “abundant life” that brings life and doesn’t take it.

Ryan Johnson

MD5 Facilitator