SAINT CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Let there be no strife between you and me. 

How tragic! Abram and Lot were next of kin who had long been close companions. But the wealth they had accumulated and the servants and animals in their entourage made it impossible for them to continue living together without enmity.

What would Abram do? After all, he was the one God had called into this land. The blessings and prosperity were gifts from God to him. Would he remind Lot of this fact and take the best land for himself?

No. Abram generously offered Lot the choice of where to live. He understood that his relationship with Lot was more valuable than matters of real estate. And so he made the decision not to fight Lot over who would get the better parcel of land. He trusted that God, who had called him, would take care of him.

When Lot saw the fertility of the plains area, he chose it for himself. But he didn’t consider the wickedness of the people who lived there or the danger it posed to himself and his family.

Imagine how things could have been different if Lot had instead responded with the same kind of humility and generosity that Abram offered. What if he had adopted Abram’s attitude and agreed that relationships are worth more than possessions? Perhaps the two could have worked out a compromise that would have let their servants better share grazing grounds and watering holes. Perhaps Lot would have learned that material possessions can be powerful tools that help promote love and peace between people instead of division.

Abram and Lot’s story invites us to ask ourselves a similar question. Are my possessions hindering the relationships that matter most? It’s not uncommon for family members, friends, or even coworkers to disagree about what’s most important. It can drive a wedge between us when the desire for success or the urge to preserve material goods overshadows the time and attention that we need to spend with one another.

If you notice any areas like this in your life, be like Abram: value your relationships first, and trust God to take care of you.

“Holy Spirit, open my eyes to the attachments that separate me from my brothers and sisters.”

Genesis 13:2, 5-18
Psalm 15:2-5
Matthew 7:6, 12-14