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by Bob and Debby Gass
Try to avoid strife
November 23, 2009
‘...Let there be no strife between you and me...’ Genesis 13:8 NKJV
When the grazing land they shared became too small for their flocks, Abraham said to his nephew Lot, ‘…let there be no strife between you and me…for we are brethren.’ (Genesis 13:8 NKJV) We learn two important lessons from this story: (1) Don’t wait, take the initiative. Abraham didn’t say, ‘I’m not getting involved in this.’ No, he realised that, left unchecked, it had the potential to drive a wedge between them, so he nipped it in the bud. Hindsight may be 20/20, but foresight is what’s needed to build lasting relationships. God had just told Abraham, ‘…I will bless you and make your name great…’ (Genesis 12:2 NKJV) But growth and blessing call for wisdom. If God’s plan for Abraham was to be fulfilled, this situation had to be dealt with. Nobody enjoys confrontation, but your future peace and prosperity require handling things wisely, before they get out of hand. (2) Don’t worry about getting short-changed, God will make it up to you. Lot, the younger of the two men, chose the fertile, well-watered plains of Jordan, leaving Abraham with what looked like the short end of the stick. As senior partner, Abraham had the right to pull rank and demand the best land for himself, but he didn’t. That’s because he realised two things: (a) That he’d outgrown his relationship with Lot, now it was time to exit with grace, not contention. (b) That his goals and values were incompatible with Lot’s. What Lot chose went up in smoke; what Abraham chose blessed all mankind. So be a peacemaker, and walk in God’s blessing.
SoulFood: 2 Chron 12-15, John 12:37-50, Ps 102:18-28, Pr 27:13-16
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2009
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