Abram Gives Grace
Abram was a giver. And we see this, firstly, in the way Abram gave grace to Lot.
Abram and Lot had split up, if you remember, and Lot had taken the best land even though it was promised to Abram. But now Lot has been carried off by some evil kings. And you know what Abram could have said? He could have said "Not my problem! Lot made his bed, now let him lie in it!" But he doesn't do this.
Grace When It Wasn't Deserved
We read: "When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people." (Genesis 14:14-16)
Abram comes to the rescue of the one to whom he owed nothing. To the one who rejected him and chose some godless ways. Because Abram is a giver, not a taker. He sees his calling, as a man of God, to give grace where others might take a hands-off approach to one who had hurt them.
Grace Received, Grace Given
I remember when I worked and lived at eMseni Methodist there was a group of retired men (called the B team) who would come and work around the property each Wednesday. Great bunch of guys. One day they asked me if there was anything they could do, since they had fixed everything that needed fixing. I asked if they could lay a brick pathway across from the church to our little home across the lawn, because it could get quite damp and squishy if it rained. So they said “sure!” And they got to work.
The next week one of the spouses of the B team cornered me and gave me a mouthful for getting these guys to do this. She just about took my head off! And I remember speaking to Bill the retired minister there about it. He said that he had come to learn that people like that, who are very graceless, are usually crying out for help when they come at you like that.
When people know God's grace, they tend to be gracious with others. When people don't know God's grace, they tend to attack others.
Abram here could've actually left Lot and said "serves him right." But he had come to know God as a gracious God. I believe this. I believe he had come to see something of God's grace with him, and so he could offer grace to Lot.
Perhaps today is your day to go the “Lot” in your life and reconnect. Sure, they may have rejected you. Sure, they may have hurt you. But perhaps it’s time to offer them a hand of help, a word of grace, an assurance of your love.
Lot, by the looks of things, went back to his old ways despite Abram’s kindness. And this might happen to us too, as we reach out to people in need of grace. But it doesn’t mean that we withdraw the grace and love!
Abram didn’t just take God’s mercy for himself, but he gave it to others.
May we do the same.
