Genesis 13:1-13 “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.”

Text II Peter 2:8 “For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.”

Lot has been brought to a place in life that he must make a choice; the land before them could not sustain the combined wealth of Abraham and Lot. The elder yields to the younger; “Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me” (vs.9). Lot’s choice ultimately costs him everything; tents, flocks, herds, servants, his wife, and the moral virtue of his own daughters! How could one go from the endless sphere of opportunity to the shameful state of spiritual and physical impoverishment? Lot simply did what multitudes are doing today; making a spiritual decision based totally upon the physical evidence. “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where” (vs.10). Lot chose riches over righteousness and pleasure over purity! Unlike Lot, Joseph chose rather to make his choice on scriptural principles rather than sensual pleasures; “she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said . . . how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:7-9). Every day, spiritual decisions are placed before us; who we date, what we wear, what we’ll watch or read, what school we’ll attend, what occupation to pursue, and most decisions will be based on physical appearance, what’s in style, do I find it entertaining, is it popular, and will it make me the most money. When making a choice, include principle and purity, and consider the high cost of a bad choice! The choices of today yield the fruit of our tomorrow, so chose wisely!