Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. "Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left." Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere -- this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah -- like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD. The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you." Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD. (Genesis 13:5-18 NASB)
After returning from Egypt, the extensive amount of grazing required for both Abram and Lot was too much for the around them to support. To solve the strife between the two sets of shepherds, Abram let Lot choose where he would go. Looking about, Lot saw that the areas around the Jordan were more lush than the mountain and hills of Canaan. He chose the Jordan region.
It says that Lot settled among the cities of the "valley", and specifically beside Sodom. It also comments that even then, the men of Sodom were evil and tremendous failures to God. As the chapters progress, it becomes clear that Lot's choice was a very bad one.
Another note is that the Canaanites and the "Perizzites", or villagers, were then in the land too. So, this problem was affecting more than just the herdsmen, flocks, and herds of Abram and Lot. The people who actually lived and worked the land were also affected, even if not involved in the dispute. The villagers of Canaan watched as Lot took his things and headed for the Jordan Valley. They witnessed what would probably not have been the solution reached by the "city-states" around them.
After Lot leaves, God speaks to Abram. Standing on the hills around Beth-El and the "Ruins" God asks him to look around, north, south, east and west. Not only will all this land be his but his offspring will be as numerous as the dust of the land. This is the promise to a man with a barren wife. God then tells him to walk around his future gift to his descendants. He goes from Beth-El to Hebron; or from the middle of Canaan to a hill country mid way between Beth-El and the southern edge of Canaan. There he parks himself in the trees of Mamre. This, along with the Oak of Moreh, become favorite hang outs of Abram. There he builds another altar to God.
Do I consider the people outside my "church" when dealing with things inside it? What I mean by that is do I consider the "others", or just the person I'm dealing with, or just my point of view, or just what this means to my place of worship? Even if I'm not being "selfish", am I being "kingdom minded"? There are great promises of my Master, things He has in His mind to accomplish in my community. He doesn't need me to do them, but if I want to be a part of what He does, I need to accept and submit to His perspective at the cost of my own.
What if I wind up with the lesser options? What if I get less than everyone else? What happens to my family? What happens to my favorite songs, favorite "chair" in the worship center, and my position of respect? What if I loose respect because I took the lower seat at the table, and was left there? Well, as long as I don't loose my relationship with my Master. I'm good with all the rest (or at least I should be).
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