Making Careless Choices
Aabram makes a concession, gives Lot part of the land, and the two men part ways. Now Lot was the one who had some decisions to make. Unfortunately, Lot seems to be prone to making careless choices. We read "Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD." (Genesis 13:10-13 NIV11)
The Progression of Temptation
Something interesting happens here in Lot's life, and it's worth thinking about. Lot begins by looking out towards Sodom. A wicked place. He sees a well-watered and beautiful place, but he ignores the fact that Sodom is there.
He looks out and sees and starts to desire to go that way. Then, he sets out in that direction. He's seen it, and he starts going towards it. And he gets quite close, and eventually Lot pitches his tents near Sodom. He doesn't go too close, but he goes close enough!
He's not a Sodomite at first (and forget how that term is used today, I just mean he's not living there). He's just on the outskirts. But then, in Genesis 14:12 we read that Lot was living in Sodom. So now he's moved in. Now he's one of them.
And in fact in Genesis 19:1, we see Lot at the city gates of Sodom—which suggests that by that point he had become a leader there, since it was city officials who usually sat at the gate to the city.
Do you see the progression? Do you see how his carelessness took him deeper and deeper into a bad situation?
This is so true for us, friends! Our compromises and sins usually start small. We see them on the horizon and don't even consider them a threat. But soon we're moving close towards them. And soon we're settling down near to them. And before long we're in the midst of them.
Taking Thoughts Captive
Many years after this event, Paul was writing to the early Christians about spiritual battles. And he said this: "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV11)
When a godless thought pops into your mind, don't let it start moving and pulling you. It might start with the sin in the distance, but how quickly you find yourself in Sodom, getting involved with things you know you shouldn't. Instead, take that thought captive, and make it obedient to Christ. Decide immediately not to follow it.
Lot's life plays out in our spiritual lives often. Whether it's judging somebody, speaking in a way you shouldn't, indulging in something that is not holy—quit being careless like Lot. Take that thought captive before it runs you all the way to the gates of Sodom.
