“And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.” (Gen 13:10-11).
The dictionary defines choice as, “an act of choosing between two or more possibilities. It is a selection from a list of options.” This implies that there is really no such thing as a choice without, at least, an alternative but foregone option. That Lot chose all the plain of Jordan for himself indicates that he had selected his preference from other possible options, like every human being does. We all make choices every day. It is inevitable. In fact, it is impossible to live from day to day without making a myriad of choices. From the earliest history of humanity, mankind has been given the responsibility of deciding what to do: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”” (Gen 2:16-17). This text shows that God created man with a free will, and, therefore, never intends to make robots of men. This is why He does not override man’s will. Every human being will continuously have options in life, and make selections from them, until time fades away.
However, choices are like pathways that have certain destinations. Once on a pathway, you cannot avoid reaching its destination, unless you get off the path. Similarly, once you have made a choice, you will definitely experience its outcome, unless you change it before it is too late. This is why Jesus tells us about the broad and the narrow paths and their eventual destinations. The former, He says, leads to destruction while the the later leads to life. However, people on either path are there by their own choice. Lot’s experience illustrates this truth. Once on the path his choice had led him, his life went down until he was almost destroyed. First, he pitched his tent near Sodom, “… Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents NEAR SODOM.” (Gen 13:12 NIV) (emphasis mine). A few verses later, in Genesis chapter 14, the Bible records that there was war between Kedorlaomer King of Elam with his allies and the King of Sodom with his allied Kings. The latter group of Kings lost the war. The result was that, “The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, SINCE HE WAS LIVING IN SODOM.” (Gen 14:11-12 NIV) (emphasis mine). Notice how Lot went from living near Sodom to living in Sodom. Lot became a victim because of the wrong choice he had made earlier.
The quality of our choices determines the quality of our lives. Though God gave man the freedom of choice, He made it equally clear that man’s life or death would be determined by how he exercised it. Adam and Eve had a perfect life—the highest quality of life possible. However, life as they knew it would either continue or cease, depending on whether they chose to obey God or not. Their eventual choice with its dire consequences is common knowledge. When Lot chose all the plain of Jordan for himself, little did he realise the far-reaching consequences it would have on his life. His slide downwards began with that choice. Life for Lot in Sodom was a nightmare. It is important to realize that seemingly insignificant choices can have far-reaching consequences, just as large doors swing on small hinges.
That Lot chose for himself was not necessarily the problem. The problem was the basis upon which he had made the choice. “And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.” (Gen 13:10). His choice was based purely on appearances. If we make choices based on what we can see outwardly and how we feel, more often than not, we are bound to make mistakes—some of which are costly. This is why Jesus counsels us to “Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.” (Jn 7:24 AMP); “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” (Jn 7:24 NIV); “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”” (Jn 7:24 NLT). We need to be wary of unnecessary haste and shallowness in making decisions. Though Abraham had offered Lot the opportunity to choose first, the swiftness with which Lot jumped at the offer fits the superficial nature of a poor choice as the scriptural texts above indicate.
The unavoidable constraints of our humanity make it inevitable for us to make mistakes at times. This however should not be taken as an excuse for carelessness and nonchalance in making decisions. Rather, it should serve as an encouragement to seek help from God—who knows the end from the beginning and everything about everything, while carefully weighing our options so as to be adequately informed. This saves us avoidable lapses and oversights. God’s prescription for making the right choices is, “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.” (Josh 1:8 AMP). I believe that if Lot had done the foregoing, his story would have had a different ending. If Jesus, in His sinless humanity, could say “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” (Jn 5:30), it behoves us to follow His example. The best among men is still human, and therefore limited. Hence, we should, in words of the Psalmist, “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always” (Ps 105:4 NIV). Shalom.
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