In Volume 4 Issue 4, I wanted to take a break to talk about Lot and how his story impacts our lives. He was a lot of trouble to Abraham and we will see in this issue why that is. Lot was Abraham’s nephew. His father passed away before Abraham was called by God to travel to the land of Canaan.
Lot did not have Abraham’s wisdom. Like anyone who is younger, Lot made questionable decisions even though the Bible considers him a righteous man (2 Peter 2:7). His example shows us we need God’s wisdom to make the right choices in life that lead us to God-defined success.
A Lot of Trouble in Deceptive Decisions (Genesis 13:6-13)
We first see Lot becoming a lot of trouble because of the decisions he makes. Though he is a righteous man (2 Peter 2:7), he does not use godly wisdom. He is often caught in the middle of circumstances out of his control because of it.
We first encounter Lot in more than a mention in the Bible when he and Abraham experience God-given prosperity. They are so prosperous that they are getting in each other’s way. The land is not big enough for the both of them.
God gives Abraham wisdom to separate for their sakes. In Genesis 13:8-9, Abraham gives Lot first pick of the land that lay before them. He makes a decision that will drive the rest of his life. He sees the land of the Jordan Valley and it looks good to him (Genesis 13:10).
It’s interesting that Moses points out this was before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. I am wondering what the land looked like after God framed fire and brimstone down on these cities and their surroundings cities. It must be drastically different when Israel scouts out the land.
Most of the Israelites listening to Moses tell about Lot’s decision probably thought, “Why would he choose such a wicked land?” That’s why Moses says this was before their destruction. At first glance, Lot probably doesn’t know about the wicked people living in these places.
But the Bible doesn’t tell us he scouted out the land either. He made a gut decision about the land because it looked good to him. He chooses the land to the east. But he doesn’t choose it because he has checked it out for himself. That would be a wise decision.
He gets in a lot of trouble because of his decision. Because he does not have the foresight to know what he is getting into, Lot will find himself in situations he could not control. Moses makes a parenthetical statement about the land that it looks like the Lord’s garden, like the land of Egypt.
The land is deceptive. It looks good but it is riddled with wicked cities and people. Nowhere in Scripture do Sodom and Gomorrah have a positive reference. They are always part of evil or a foil for evil. Moses finishes this section by telling us what we know from the rest of Scripture, that the men of Sodom are very wicked people. The trap for Lot has been set.
A Lot of Trouble in Becoming Unwilling Spoil (Genesis 14:11-16)
The next time we meet Lot, he is unwittingly caught in between a battle between many kings. He ends up in a lot of trouble, captured as part of the spoils of war (Genesis 14:11-12). If he had not made the choices he made, he would not have been captured. He lived right in the middle of this battle.
Lot is blessed because Abraham finds out about his plight. Abraham probably knows the lay of the land and the kind of people that are there. The Lord tells him later that He will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, which prompts Abraham’sbold prayers to save his nephew and make Abraham the hero of the story.
Lot chose to live in such a dangerous and wicked place. Even if we are righteous, we can make bad decisions that force us into uncontrollable circumstances. If we make the wrong decision before we are in these uncontrollable situations, we have only ourselves to blame.
No matter how Lot got into the situation, he has a good uncle who will bail him out. Abraham puts his own men and treasure at risk to save Lot. Abraham has meant he has previously trained in battle and battle tactics. They are part of Abraham’s victory to restore Lot.
We haven’t even gotten to the immorality Lot will suffer in Sodom. This is just Abraham rescuing Lot from unforeseen dangers of living in a land where there is much battle and wickedness. These kings are only seeking their own glory and spoils. They don’t care about the people living around them.
The Bible doesn’t tell us why there is battle between five kings verses four kings. If it is for the reasons that most kings go to war, it is to expand their territory, take spoil in war, and to further themselves. Lot could not have foreseen these events. But because he lives in a wicked land, it is always a possibility.
A Lot of Trouble Life Lessons
We can learn some lessons from Lot and the choices he makes early in his narrative. First, we need wisdom to make the right choices in life. You can be a righteous person before God and still put yourself in compromising positions.
It’s because you lack wisdom that you end up in such situations. The best part is you don’t have to lack wisdom. James tells us we can ask God for wisdom and He readily and generously gives it to us (James 1:5-8).
None of us has to be in Lot’s position. Wisdom includes the foresight to scout out the choices that lay before us before we take action. God can help us sift through our choices and make the right choice that leads to the best outcome.
Lot was probably young and inexperienced, but he should have learned wisdom from Abraham. Abraham took him in as his own. He had a lot of time to watch Abraham make the right decisions and see the results.
Another lesson we can gain is to watch others who make wise decisions and observe their outcomes. God places people in our lives who have godly wisdom. We need to take advantage of watching their life and seeing how their choices pan out.
We cannot excuse ourselves from bad choices we make if we have such mentors and godly people who demonstrate godly wisdom to us. Like Lot, we have the opportunity of a lifetime to see wisdom play out before us and benefit from other people’s example.
Next, be thankful for those around you who are willing to go to bat for you. We live in the United States of America where we had been taught to be the rugged individual, to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and be a survivalist.
But that is not a biblical value. In fact, the Bible tells us to not be independent or codependent, but to be interdependent. We need one another, especially when things get bad for us. What do you do with you do not have friends and people in the corner when trials come and hardships arise?
We can rely on one another, and that is biblical. That is the whole idea of the Church. The word church in the Bible means “assembly, called out ones.” You are part of an assembly or community for a reason. It is unwise to go it alone when you can have the help of others who care about you and love you in the Lord.
Don’t fall into the trap of trying to be the rugged will individual who ends up in a whole heap of trouble and has nowhere to turn. Seek help when you need it. And be sure to help someone else when they need it. Our relationships with Christians should be give and take, reciprocal and deep relationships. The world will not come to your defense. But we as Christians should.
Finally, don’t burn your bridges. Lot left Abraham on good terms. They did not allow their God-given prosperity to ruin their relationship. Abraham came after Lot and saved him not only because they were family, but because Abraham cared for him.
Things could have gone awfully wrong. They could have resented one another or parted ways because of their anger. Or they could have been jealous of one another. There are a host of ways their relationship could have changed with their separation. But they did it willingly and amicably.
We must be careful not to burn our bridges because we need those people in our lives. You never know when you will need someone’s help for his situation you cannot handle on your own. You can always use the wisdom other people have that you do not.
Of course, I’m not referring to toxic relationships. I’m talking about the good relationships we have with people who are assets to us. We should do everything we can to maintain good relationships with these people. That is wisdom in itself.
The Saga Continues…
I hope you are enjoying this character study on Lot and how he lived his life. There is much wisdom for us even though he lacked wisdom. In the next issue, we will continue talking about Lot and the circumstances he continues to face.
