RESOLVING CONFLICT AND DEALING WITH EVIL
And quarreling arose between Abram’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. …Lot… pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked… Genesis 13:7, 12, 13.
In today’s OYB reading, it was Abram who took the initiative to resolve the issue that his herdsmen had with the herdsmen of his nephew, Lot. Lot would choose to move to the area near Sodom, where the people “were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord,” v.13. We know from 2 Peter 2:7-8 that Lot “was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard),” but his family seemed to lose out.
A couple lessons we can learn from this account:
1) Resolving conflict usually requires initiative from someone—in this case Abram led the way. Where can we help resolve conflict?
2) On a different note, how we approach the evil around us also matters—Lot’s proximity to evil did not in the end lead to a good outcome for him. What is our response to that which is evil around us (maybe even as close as our electronic devices)? We need the devotion Abram exhibited in keeping a close relationship with God.
In today’s OYB reading, it was Abram who took the initiative to resolve the issue that his herdsmen had with the herdsmen of his nephew, Lot. Lot would choose to move to the area near Sodom, where the people “were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord,” v.13. We know from 2 Peter 2:7-8 that Lot “was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard),” but his family seemed to lose out.
A couple lessons we can learn from this account:
1) Resolving conflict usually requires initiative from someone—in this case Abram led the way. Where can we help resolve conflict?
2) On a different note, how we approach the evil around us also matters—Lot’s proximity to evil did not in the end lead to a good outcome for him. What is our response to that which is evil around us (maybe even as close as our electronic devices)? We need the devotion Abram exhibited in keeping a close relationship with God.
by Bob Busenitz, Elder
Posted in Read Through the Bible
Recent
Archive
2024
January
A FRESH STARTPOSTURE OF FAITHHEAVENLY BODIESTHE BLESSINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUSI AM WILLINGGOD'S SOVEREIGNTY OVERRULES MAN'S DYSFUNCTIONJESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATHLIVE OUT WELL THE TEACHINGS OF JESUSHOLD IT CLOSEOPEN MY EYESWHO DO PEOPLE SAY WE ARE?NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GODWHAT IS YOUR IDOL?GOD'S CHOOSING
February
March
May
August
September
December
2023
January
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?RESOLVING CONFLICT AND DEALING WITH EVILWHAT KIND OF FRUIT DO YOU HAVE?GOD IS PROUD OF HIS SONPEACE IS A FUNCTION OF FOCUSTHE HEALING POWER OF JESUSGOD CALLS YOU BY NAMESMOKE AND MIRRORSBE A LIGHTWISE WORDSEXODUSCHOOSING THE RIGHT PATHGOD SEES AND HEARSWHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM?WARNING AGAINST FOLLY
February
March
HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUTHE PLACE OF COMFORT AND SAFETYIT'S THE LITTLE THINGSBE ALERTMY GOD IS NOT TOO SMALLWHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN NOT TO SPEAKGOD IS GRACIOUS TO USKEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUTSTAND STRONG FOR YOUR FAITHOUR HOPEDO I DO WHAT THE LORD ASKS OF ME?DON'T BE A SCHEMERA TREASURE HUNTLISTEN AND FOLLOWWORDS OF COMFORT OR WARNINGTHE POSSESSOR OCCUPIES AND FILLS THE POSSESSEDUNDIVIDED LOYALTY TO GODONE CONCESSION STAND
No Comments