Sometimes the appeal of a bad alliance leads us down the wrong path. Maybe Bonnie and Clyde should have dated someone else. Erick and Lyle Menendez were brothers but should have parted company when they first started talking about eliminating their parents. And what about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Their story made for a great flick but a lousy life. I don’t mean to suggest ill-advised alliances always lead to crime, but they will lead to chaos and heartbreak.
Lot’s Alliance
Consider Lot’s tragic alliance. Initially, it appeared harmless. Abram let Lot choose between two pieces of real estate: “If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left” (Genesis 13:9). This separation occurred to end a conflict between their herdsmen over grazing land. Abram’s solution was simple, “Let’s part company.”
Because he was older, Abram could have claimed the best land for himself. And Lot, as the younger man, should have given it to him.
Yet, instead of allying himself with Abram and God, Lot chose a different alliance. As he gazed at the lush Jordan plain, Lot made a regrettable choice. In Genesis 13:12, we’re told Lot “pitched his tents near Sodom.” Years later, before God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, we’re told the angel found Lot “sitting in the gateway of the city” (Genesis 19:1).
In the ancient world leaders of a city met at the gate to make important decisions. What started as a campsite “near” Sodom resulted in an alliance with Sodom. Lot became one of them.
That terrible alliance explains why: Lot found leaving so hard, and his wife lost her life when she looked back (Genesis 19:26), and his daughters got him drunk and seduced him (Genesis 19:33).
Avoid a Bad Alliance Like This
A single choice led to a single alliance that led to chaos and heartbreak. If you’re considering a new alliance, Be careful. Listen to wise counsel. Talk it over with God. Then, and only then, move forward with confidence (Genesis 13:10-13; 19:1).
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