Last night I stayed up too late playing video games and once again got nothing accomplished. I didn’t want to have too much of a setback so I decided to write about chapter 13 of Genesis now.
In it Abram and Lot separate. Abram goes into an undeveloped land and God promises to make it the land of his descendants who will be as numerous as the grains of dust on the ground while Lot heads off towards Jordan and the city of Sodom.
It is expressed here that the people of Sodom are wicked. What exactly that means is unknown at this point and we will see in future chapters when we get to it, but as I recall it is still up for debate as to in what ways they are wicked.
I think the focus here should be on how Lot and Abram part. It is mentioned that they both have fast herds of livestock and many herders with them and disagreements rose between them. As Lot was Abram’s nephew he told him that they shouldn’t quarrel and that the best way to do that was for them to go their separate ways.
This is an important lessons. There are times when we disagree vehemently with family, friends, and others. While we might not be able to or want to settle in completely different lands getting space can help the relationship. Then when we come back together we can focus on our family relationship, common ground, and likenesses instead of our differences and disagreements.
We often feel crowded by those we love. At times we feel unappreciated and even unwanted. I have several times felt unneeded in my own home. More of a burden on my family than anything else. Sometimes when I am in the worst of my doldrums my wife will tell me to get out of the house. To get away from the children.
It is a terrible thing to have those we love being the reason we feel terrible. We should remember to not have any quarreling between us. Sometimes when our family goes left we should go right and when they go right we should go left. Space doesn’t make our love for each other less nor does it dissolve our family relationship. Instead it can strengthen it.
After separating we can come back together with our love strengthen and focus heightened. We can focus on our common bonds and grow our love into something greater than it was. Now, I do not recall if all this is the part of the Abram and Lot story. I know the story of Lot’s wife but I do not know if Lot returns to Abram and if their love grows. That is to be seen in future days and readings.
David Huzzard Writes 