Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Wisdom from Proverbs”
Our Bible verse for today: “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.” Proverbs 16:7-8 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Don’t live too close to the edge.”
This morning I was reading the story of Abraham and his nephew Lot in Genesis chapters 13-19. In terms of right and wrong, Lot was a young man who liked to live life close to the edge. Lot was the nephew of Abraham. Abraham was known for his righteous behavior. He was wise, he was honest, he had integrity, and God honored him for it. Unfortunately Lot didn’t seem to inherit those character traits.
When it came time for Abraham and Lot to go their separate ways because their respective families and herds had grown too big to stay together, Abraham kindly offered Lot first choice of all the lands before them. Lot looked around and then chose what he thought was the best land for himself. Abraham graciously accepted the leftovers.
Lot then moved to the wicked neighborhood of Sodom and Gomorrah. The way the story unfolds, Lot first began by living in tents outside the city. Then we find him owning a house inside the city; and before long we see him sitting in a place of honor at the city gates with the town elders (19:1). Not long after that, Lot finds himself in the middle of a near-riot that consisted of a large crowd of Sodomites intent on raping two male visitors to their town. In an attempt to save the visitors, Lot shamefully offered the sex-crazed crowd his two virgin daughters.
What happened to Lot? How did things get so bad so fast for him? While his uncle Abraham was doing very well and was being blessed by God, Lot found himself drowning in a cesspool of sexual sin, attempted rape, murderous intent, and later, incest. He also got to experience fire and brimstone raining down from heaven.
It happened because Lot allowed himself to be lured by the things of the world. He thought he could live on the edge of sin, enjoying it just a little bit without getting fully sucked into it. But he wasn’t able to withstand the attraction of that lifestyle. It was just too strong to resist. And so, he was drawn deeper and deeper into it until he was eventually faced with catastrophic consequences. This is what happens when we try to toy with sinful situations – we sink deeper and deeper into it.
In Proverbs 16:7-8 Solomon constructed a contrast that fit the situations of Abraham and Lot to a tee. Abraham was the man of verse 7 whose ways pleased the Lord and who therefore enjoyed the Lord’s blessings. Lot was the man of verse 8 who thought he saw a better opportunity for comfort and riches and chose to go after it, even though his choice was leading him to a place like Sodom and Gomorrah.
When you live close to the edge you’re always just a step away from going over it. So the lesson is, “Don’t live close to the edge.” Stay well away from it. See the world of Sodom and Gomorrah for what it is and don’t go there! You will always be better off having less while living righteously, than having more but living in sin to get it.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 