THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS
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ter. A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. A person is no stronger than his weakest trait of character, When we call Lot a “ Me-too” we need not be surprised to find him also exhibiting extreme selfishness. It is beautiful to behold Abram’s unselfishness as compared with Lot’s extreme selfishness: Lot chose the best; all the best; more of the best than he needed, (vs. 10-11). Selfishness, or self, and sin are synonyms pointing away from God and leading down into depths of sin. Notice Lot’s steps down ward as the result of selfishness: He looked on, 13:10; he chose, 13:11; he moved toward, 13:12; he lived in, 14: 12; he sat in the gate (a place of auth ority) 19:1; he lingered, 19:16. Every girl’s course downward parallels Lot’s: Lot went to sojourn in Sodom, he con tinued, he dwelt in, he loved Sodom, he was satisfied with Sodom. His life was a curse to himself, his family and his friends. Abram had to go to his rescue. (14:14-16). God always rewards unselfishness. In Abram’s case He gave him: All the land Lot had left and promised him all that he had allowed Lot to choose (13: 14-18); the greatest king of the day as a friend, (14:18-19); a renewal of the covenant under which he, Abram, had left home, (17 :1 -8 ); a direct promise of an heir, (18 :14 ); and best of all a renewed faith and a new knowledge of God himself, (15:1; 15: 6). Ask one of the girls' who reads well to read the 91st Psalm, illustrat ing and interpreting God’s words to Abram in 15:1 and as a close to the lesson. Perhaps a few words, apply ing them to present day world war con ditions, will help the girls to under stand how to turn to God as their all in all— as their shield, as their fortress, as their refuge, as their comfort, as their sustainer, as their peace, and all else that they need, God, thy exceeding great reward.
(altars) to commemorate his act of obedience. Reading between the lessons we learn of Abram’s trip down into Egypt (the Bible usually uses Egypt as a type of the world), and his return to the place where he had erected the altar. Mother used to drive down stakes where she had planted flowers or vegetables so that the seed need not be disturbed with other plantings. It is well for us to drive down stakes or erect monu ments at our Christian experiences so that we may know where to find them when other life experiences would seem to intrude. When a friend or circum stances disguised by Satan would whis per doubt of our salvation in our ear that doubt can he dispelled by putting the finger on the time or place where Christ was accepted, or upon the verse upon which we base our grounds for salvation. Abram was .able to do this thing when he came hack up to Bethel for his journey down into Egypt had been nothing more or less than inward doubt of God (12:10), expressed in outward actions. His doubt of God had led on to other sins as doubt of God always does. See Chapter 12:10-20: Abram gave up his altar, his worship, his vision; he resorted to lying, com promising, expediency, and sold his wife’s honor; he lost fellowship -With God, influence with his family, prestige among nations; he brought reproach upon himself, plagues upon those about him and was rebuked by. a heathen king. His return to God (back to Bethel) and the renewing of his altar and wor ship were so abundantly blessed with worldly goods (13:2) that it was nec essary for him and his nephew Lot to divide his property and go different ways. Lot has been called the “ Me-too” character of the Bible. “ Lot went also.” It is a weakness of character to he a “ tesser.” One weak trait of character is indicative of a wholly weak charac
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