A Lot of Trouble
Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. -Genesis 13:12 (NKJV)
An interesting discovery is made when we trace
Lot's footprints. They start in the
land of Ur when he leaves his homeland with his uncle, Abraham. They journeyed together to the edge of
Canaan where they decided that it was best for them to part ways. As the verse above shows us, Lot chose to head toward the heavily populated plain, under the shadow of
Sodom. His tracks then take him directly into
Sodom where he makes his home (Genesis 14:12). He is then described as sitting in the gate of
Sodom, showing that he had become a representative of the city (Genesis 19:1)
Why was Lot pulled toward the city of
Sodom?
We know that he was not drawn to the sinful lifestyle in
Sodom because the New Testament tells us that he was tormented by the sinfulness that existed there (2 Peter 2:7-8). Scripture seems to suggest that the buzz and excitement of society had gotten hold of
Lot's heart. His love for the social life of the city became an idol that made him insensitive to the things of God. This idol was firmly embedded in Lot, even to the point that God's angels had to take him by the hand and lead him out of
Sodom before its destruction. Even after all of this, Lot's tracks take him right back to his idol as he begs to be allowed to go and live in another city (Genesis 19:20).
It isn't a sin to live in a city or to appreciate the fast-paced excitement of society.
Paul predominately ministered in the cities of his day, and Jesus spent much of His ministry in
Jerusalem. However, when we neglect God and allow a love for society to become a driving desire in our lives, we are foolishly following in
Lot's footsteps.
Discuss, Dig, Decide
Discuss with your group the city or town you grew up in. What words would you use to describe the culture of that area? How did that influence you?
Dig into Genesis Chapter 19. How does Lot’s life remind you of the importance of making godly choices? How did Lot’s environment influence him? How is the culture you live in impacting your decisions? What will you do to ensure you don’t follow in Lot’s footsteps?
Decide as a group to live out Proverbs 3:5–6 in your decision making this week. Be ready to share next week just how you applied these verses to the choices you made, and what the results were of those godly choices.
