We need to have the appropriate reaction to injustice.
10 Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the LORD or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram.
Genesis 14:11-12 The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and headed for home, taking with them all the spoils of war and the food supplies. 12 They also captured Lot--Abram's nephew who lived in Sodom--and carried off everything he owned.
Abram's faith has grown since he first began his journey, he has already learned some important lessons in the "School of Faith" that will help him deal with yet another difficult situation. Our faith should never get any rest, the challenges that come from circumstances, places and things will give it plenty of chances to grow if we choose to use it.
After separating from Lot, God renews his promise to give Abram the land, even after all of his mistakes in Egypt, God reaffirms his promise that all of the land would still belong to Abram and his descendants even after Abram gave away some of the land to Lot. (Genesis 13:14-18)
As their story continues to unfold we will see that there was more than just a physical separation between Abram and Lot, there was also a spiritual separation, you can see the difference in the choices that they make. Lot's choices will be a source of trouble for him and for Abram.
Lot was a friend of the world and he was enticed by it's pleasures when he was given a choice of real estate, perhaps the good times that he experienced back in Egypt was still on his mind when he chose the land next to Sodom.
Abram was living in the country minding his own business when he got the news about his nephew. Lot was enjoying his new home until he unwittingly became involved in a political situation that cost him everything.
1 John 2:15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
We can't blame all of our trials on ourselves but for Lot it is very true that his choices brought him a bunch of trouble. Lot will continue to make bad choices even after Abram saved him from exile. (Genesis 19:1-38)
Abram's response to the situation that his nephew was in is a great lesson on how we should respond to the injustice that is all around us.
Isolation
It is so easy to look at the situation and wonder why the person thought things would go any better than they did. Sometimes we think they got exactly what they deserved, they were corrupt, they made bad choices, and they deserve whatever happens. Lot would have to suffer the consequences of his bad choices if Abram decided to not get involved.
Identification
Abram has identified himself as a man of God and there was no going back to his old ways. Abram couldn't identify himself with that old way of thinking and he couldn't adopt the immoral lifestyle of the people of Sodom.
Involvement
Abram struggled with how to be in the world but not of it, he couldn't isolate himself and ignore the problem, he needed to address the injustice in the world around him but he had to do so without being identified as a part of the world.
Involvement without compromise is not easy, this is the same problem that the church has had to deal with through the ages, the injustice around us begs for our compassion. Great people that do not share our values may work right by our side to make the world a better place but there has to be a distinct difference between God's children and the rest of the world.
Matthew 5:6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.God's children should have a longing deep inside to see everything made right. We should hunger and thirst to see the world come closer to it's original condition before sin. Injustice should bother us more than it does the rest of the world.
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