Grass For My Sheep Over Conscience

And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Genesis 13:10-11

Lot has been journeying with his uncle since God called Abraham to leave Haran for Canaan—a land God promised Abraham and his offspring. We might say he ‘bought into‘ Abraham’s call by God and decided to leave whatever life he had in Haran to follow wherever that may lead.

Our text meets the duo shortly after coming out of Egypt, following a short stint there to escape the famine that ravaged Canaan. Abraham is now “very rich in livestock, in silver, and gold“, and Lot, by his association with Abraham, has equally been blessed with “flocks, and herds and tents“ (Gen. 13:5). Is there not here a lesson for us that when we seek God and His righteousness first, He adds all these things? (Matthew 6:33). While the New Testament believer’s blessing is not measured in gold, silver or livestock (Ephesians 1:3), Jesus promised to take care of all our needs as we seek His kingdom first (Matthew 6:33).

But observe how material prosperity can ensnare godly people if they forget the God who causes them to prosper. The abundance of possessions becomes a source of contention among brethren. The land is too small, and the grass is insufficient for their livestock combined, so their herdsmen begin to quarrel. As if in rebuke, the text ostentatiously adds, “at that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.“ What a travesty when God’s people squabble over the world’s goods before a watching world! And so, Abraham, in keeping with his more mature faith, does not insist on his rights as the elder. He offers Lot the choice of where to resettle, thus quelling the strife. Should he choose to go left, Abraham would go right.

In his self-centeredness, Lot chooses the Jordan valley for its seeming lushness, which, as our text notes, is as well-watered as Eden, the garden God planted. But the wicked people of Sodom and Gomorrah dwelt there also. And Lot knew this, although it did not seem to concern him in the least. Observe how Lot’s choice is influenced by his senses instead of being led by his faith. The grass is green in the Valley, and the land well-watered. What’s the worst that could happen? As long as there’s grass for my sheep, it’s okay. “What harm can a ‘little unrighteousness‘ do to my faith? I just want my livestock to be comfortable and my family well catered for. I’ll be sure to keep serving the God of Abraham – I’ll be fine, you’ll see!“ We can imagine Lot telling himself.

Isn’t there a lesson here for Christians who choose comfort over their conscience? Lot could have chosen to remain elsewhere in Canaan, the land God promised to Abraham, but he decided to dwell close to wicked men (v.13). At first, we are told he pitched his tent “as far as Sodom“ (other translations have “towards Sodom“). The next time we read of him, he is living in Sodom, even passing his evening times at the gate—presumably leisurely, at a time when he ought to be with his wife and daughters (Ch. 19:1). And, as the story unfolds, we see that Lot’s conscience had been seared to the extent that he was willing to offer his daughters to be molested to placate the unbridled, perverse cravings of the men of Sodom. Peter, speaking by the Holy Spirit, reveals, “For as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard.“ (2 Peter 2:8). What is more, Lot’s daughters themselves reveal later how much the evil practices of Sodom had influenced their moral choices (Ch. 19:32-36). The little seeds of immorality sown in them during their sojourn in Sodom now emerge in full bloom.

Just the other day, I was sharing with a friend how at a point in my life, I was working two jobs to make enough money to afford my family a “comfortable“ life. However, the thing was, the jobs were back-to-back such that there was scarcely any time between leaving one and resuming at the other. And they were at least 10 km apart and in a traffic-prone city; thus, I always lost an hour or more to the commute between the two jobs. As you might have guessed, I consistently reported to the second job late. To add to my woes, I often left my second job before the official closing time owing to sheer exhaustion. This routine continued, even during weekends. At one of the jobs, I was required to work even on Sundays – at times affecting my attendance at Lord’s Day worship services. But I told myself, “A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. I must bear the yoke in my youth.“

In truth, what I was doing was, to borrow Ghanaian parlance, “stealing from Peter to pay Paul.“ I was being paid for hours I hadn’t worked. My desire to be “comfortable“ had made me a thief and a cheat. But I told myself, “I’ve got to make ends meet.“ “What could possibly be wrong with that?” It was not until a study of Ephesians 4:28 several years later that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the truth about my dishonest lifestyle. My desire for comfort blinded my eyes to reality. What would it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lost his soul? Was I putting the kingdom of God and his righteousness first and the world second, or, like Lot, grass for my sheep was worth more than my accountability before God and a good conscience?

Upon hearing my testimony, my friend said to me. “I hear you, Ebenn, and I know it’s not right to cut corners, but you’ve got to take care of your family, you know. So, what do you do? You’ve got to ‘hustle‘. My friend is right. Times are hard, and salaries are woefully inadequate (will they ever be?). In Ghana today, most good schools charge termly fees that are several times more than the average family’s income. Inflation is ever on the rise, and two-to-three years’ rent comes due before you have scarcely finished paying the previous arrears (in Ghana, landlords demand at least a year’s rent payment in advance before tenancy). So, yes, a man’s got to feed his family. But at what cost? Does God care about how we make our money? Does he care whether we honour job contracts or not? Or is a little sin justifiable if it is to make ends meet?

It is interesting to note that the livestock and property which Lot had amassed, for which he compromised his faith to protect, had to be left behind when he ran from Sodom for his dear life (Gen. 19:17). And the Scriptures never record that he subsequently died of starvation after leaving it all behind to seek refuge in the hills of Zoar.

Lot has a lot to teach us who would seek first the world and its comfort at the expense of conscience. John, the apostle, solemnly affirms: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (John 2:16-17). While Jesus cautions, “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.“ (Matt. 6:20-21).

May God grant that we come to the point where we can say with Asaph, “…there is nothing on earth I desire besides you…God is my portion forever.“ (Psalms 73:25 & 26).