Pitching Toward Sodom
"Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom." (Gen. 13:12)
Because of strife among their herdsmen Abraham said, "Let there be no strife between us .... for we be brethren." He gave Lot his choice of the land. Lot, like many brethren today, chose the good grazing!
Lot chose; we choose. Our destinies throughout eternity depend on our choice. Lot's choice gave him bad associates. Some brethren turn their backs on God to cleave to bad associates.
Lot drifted (pitched his tent) toward Sodom — evil. People drift toward and into evil. Churches drift and go into apostasy — sometimes pretty fast. Lot never left the evil he drifted into He stayed in it and "vexed" his soul with it!
Lot tried to hold to both. God and the world — Sodom. He was disappointed. He lost all his earthly possessions and would have lost his life except for God's mercy. Thank God for his mercy. Paul said, "We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (I Tim. 6:7) We may lay up treasures. (Lk. 12)
Abraham gave Lot the best of the land. He helped Lot later, when Lot was in trouble. (Gen. 14) He pleaded for wicked Sodom.
Let us choose with care. The amount of our earthly possessions, our social standing, or how we pass out, matters not nearly so much as does where we spend eternity after we pass out and are in God's hands. We shall rejoice if we are faithful to the end.