Chapter 5: 1
Lot and the temptations of life

“Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. 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.” (Genesis 13:10-12)

While contemplating the fourth figure, who is Lot, we will come across the fourth challenge in life, which is the temptation.
Lot went out of his land, his tribe and his father’s house, he walked out with Abraham moving from a place to another; but when he went down to Egypt, his thoughts got changed. This was reflected on his decisions; when he was exposed to Sodom’s temptations, he decided to separate from his uncle Abraham and emigrated once again from the land of Hebron to the land of Sodom.

We may start our journey in a good way and based on God’s will, but because of the many temptations we are exposed to, we may take wrong decisions based on our personal preferences and discordant with God’s will, thus causing us lots of problems in life.

Through our meditation on the life of Lot, we can extract some practical excerpt that might help us to overcome life’s temptations.
During his journey in this world, the Christian is subject to lots of lust and temptations where the Holy book said: “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1John 2:16).

God wants us to be successful and does not forbid ambition but there is a great difference between ambition and greed. Ambition may turn to greed when we cannot control or resist the strong temptations around us.

When does ambition turn to greed?
-Ambition is the fulfillment of the maximum of your goals that conform to God’s plan and His desire in your life. However when your desire to accomplish the maximum of your dreams and aspirations regardless of God’s will to your life, this is greed.

-When you seek to achieve your purposes without harming your health, your family or neglecting your spiritual life, then you are ambitious; but if on your way of realizing your personal ambitions, you are harming your health, your family or your spiritual life, then you are greedy and not ambitious.

-When you rejoice and accept every success that God gives you and look for more within the frame of God’s desire and will in your life, then that is ambition. But when you are not content or satisfied by what the Lord gives you, endeavoring for more, and complaining of your circumstances, then that is greed. 

-Ambition is to seek and accomplish your aims by legal and sound means, away from injustice, cheating and deceit.  It is also to obtain your rights without oppressing others. Whereas greed is to endeavor with any means to realize your dreams whether with legitimate or illegitimate methods.

What has happened in Lot’s life is considered greed; he did not ask for God’s opinion when he decided to move. Also on the way of fulfilling his dreams, he has tortured himself and destroyed his family and his spiritual life. He chose for himself with selfishness the better land without considering his uncle Abraham the aged man.

Dear reader if you are like Lot, trust that the Lord  will never forsake you, just lift your eye up to Him, so you can see the circumstances as He sees, in order not to be deceived by the temptations of  this world, but get over them.

Magdy Samuel