By Teman Knight
Adjunct Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
ABRAM AND LOT: FAMILY RIGHTS
Genesis 13:5–11, 14–18
Today’s society is filled with individuals concerned with advancing their personal agendas and asserting their rights. Many are looking after their own interests, unconcerned about how that may impact other people. Selfishness impacts our relationships, especially with our families.
Sadly, I have seen families torn apart by conflict over a possession that different members feel is their right to inherit. Abram demonstrated for us that sometimes the best option is simply to put aside our own interests and let the other person “win.”
Relationships are more important than possessions or getting what is owed to us. When we put aside our self-interest, we can receive the greater benefit of preserving and even strengthening the relationship.
Personal rights and possessions can be a source of conflict. (5–8)
God had greatly blessed Abram and his nephew Lot. They had acquired many possessions, cattle and servants. They had outgrown the land’s ability to provide for the needs of all that they had acquired. Here we see that growth and expansion can have its own set of challenges.
Abram could have asserted his rights as the family leader to make sure that his flock was cared for first, but he instead demonstrated his priority of the family relationship. Abram sought to keep peace “since we are relatives.” Remember from our previous lesson that God values relationships. We are to love God and neighbor.
Place the needs of others before your own. (9–11)
Abram demonstrates his peacemaking skills and humility by allowing Lot to choose first. This demonstrates the humble servant that we as believers are to strive to be. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather for the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:3–5).
This attitude is vital with both our families at home and our church families.
Lot seized the opportunity to choose the whole plain of Jordan and settled by the city of Sodom. Nothing in our text demonstrates that Lot sought God’s will for his decision in any way.
The wickedness of the city and its reputation for sinning against God was never even considered by Lot. Our life choices are crucial. Every decision we make can move us closer to wickedness or closer to God.
Trust God with the outcome. (14–18)
Abram moved to live in the land of Canaan. God was obviously pleased with Abram’s peacekeeping and humility. God reminded Abram that all of the land that he could see would belong to him and his descendants. This included the land where Lot and his clan settled. God sent Abram on a walking tour of the whole land, repeating His promise to give all the land to Abram’s descendants.
After Abram moved his tents to the new location, he built an altar and worshipped God. This was a common practice for Abram when he relocated. The few times we do not read about Abram pitching his tents and then building an altar to worship God are the occasions when Abram fell into sin.
Our personal worship and walk with God are key to resisting sin. Abram’s personal worship enabled him to trust God in this difficult family conflict.
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