Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities of the valley and set up his tent near Sodom. – Genesis 13:12
Over the past 44 years of marriage, my wife and I have lived in 29 different dwellings in 18 different towns in eight different states and three different countries. When asked why we have moved so much, I have often replied, "To avoid jury duty."
To be perfectly honest, we have at times felt like the post-exilic nation of Israel wandering in the wilderness and as we draw ever closer to our 50th anniversary, we are hoping to settle down soon! Yet, in all the “moving around,” there has been a clear sense or desire to please God, or at least to do the right thing. Even before I entered vocational ministry, these were common motivational purposes.
In Genesis 13 we read of Lot's choice to "set up his tent near Sodom." Was it a bad decision? Should he have surrendered his choice to his uncle Abram? Should he have checked out the area before he moved? There is really no reason to assume that Lot's motives were improper. He probably just wanted what he deemed best for his family's future survival. The fact that he chose to live outside the city might speak to an understanding of what was inside, but more likely his family and possessions were simply just too immense. On the surface, given the circumstances, it did not appear unwise. But as it turned out, Lot's choice proved to be a bad one and we may assume that he knew just how bad long before God rained fire down on the place.
Having lived (obviously) in a lot of different places, the takeaway for me is this: How you live is more important than where and no matter the location (or how varied), you must simply choose to live everywhere in such a way that honors Christ.
If you cannot get what you like, why not try to like what you get? – Unknown
Comentários