January 25 - Others Go First

Have you ever noticed how selfish we are? 

 

I’ll just tell you, one of our family values is ‘Others Go First.’ 

 

For this reason, I try to park at the back of the parking lot whenever I can so that others can park in the front. It will be a rare day for you to see me get food before anyone else when we are eating together. I will always let others pick the place they want to go or what they want to do. My heart is to always put others first because this is the example that we see in Jesus. 

 

Yet let me be honest for a second before you think I’m better than I really am. . .

 

When I’m driving, I lose my patience. . . wait, let me start that over. . When I’m driving. . . I don’t even have any patience. I feel like people drive so obliviously, that I - as an intentional driver - will just get out of there way by going ahead of them and getting the job done of driving. . To be honest, I don’t really care about others when I’m driving. I think it’s because deep down inside, I don’t think others deserve my patience. . . They just need to drive or get off the road. 

 

But I know that’s not the right attitude. 

 

My heart is that I would always put others first. 

 

And I’m sure that is your heart too. 

 

But part of the chaos we live in, is that we are selfish people who have our own interests in mind all of the time. 

 

What would it look like though, if we though of others above ourselves? 

 

In Genesis 13 we read a great example of what true selfless generosity looks like. 

 

So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. 

 

From the Negev he went form place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built and altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord. 

 

Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. 

 

So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between you herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 

 

So let me just give some commentary here. 

 

Abram was the one given the promise from God that this land would belong to him. He was the one with whom God would make a great name. Everywhere they looked, the land belonged to Abram. 

 

In addition, Lot is growing in possessions and herds and flocks because he is traveling with Abram. The blessing of God on Abram’s life is causing everything around him to succeed, and that success is growing Lot’s possessions and family. Yet he gives Lot the choice to pick the land. He says, “you pick. If you go left, I’ll go right. If you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 

 

What selflessness of Abram. 

 

He was willing Lot have his choice, even though ti all belonged to Abram. 

 

Let’s keep reading now, because Lot’s response is pretty telling of his heart for others. 

 

Vs. 10

 

Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. 

 

So get this, 

 

Abram gives lot his choice of the land. He told him to pick and go whichever direction he wanted and then Abram and his flocks and family would stay the opposite direction so that they all had space for growth. And what is it that Lot did? He looked around and saw all the lands. But when he saw the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar, he realized it was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. It was the best of the best land. Lot saw it and his eyes lit up. 

 

Now mind you, Abram saw this too. He was there with Lot and knew what the land looked like. Yet he still told Lot to choose. And he did.. . . he picked the best of the best of the lands. He saw how amazing it looked and how it looked good for him and his family, and he took it! 

 

Abram didn’t argue or suggest anything other. He simply allowed Lot to have the pick of the land, and then he went the other direction. See, I think Abram wanted Lot to succeed. He wanted the best for Lot, so he let him choose first. 

 

How much do you want those around you to succeed? We live in such a cut-throat society, that we are constantly fighting over getting our acknowledgments and making sure others know what we’ve done for them. But true selflessness, simply wants others to succeed so that they get filled with blessings and honor. 

 

If you are a leader - boss - owner of a business in any capacity - Let others succeed! Help them achieve their best! Make them win before you bring in the wins for yourself! See how God blesses you when you help those around you succeed! 

 

Well read what happened next. 

 

14

The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around form where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” 

 

God blessed Abram. He made sure to remind him that he would bless him inside of this land. The good heart of Abram beared the fruit of blessings. But the selfish heart of Lot. . .Well, that led him in the wrong direction. There is a little foreshadowing in this text. It says that this land was good because it was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It also says that the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. 

 

The selfish heart of Lot, only led him to a place where there was evil and disobedience to the Lord. 

 

See, this is the same with us today. 

 

Our selfishness will always take us toward the dark chaotic mess that entraps us. When we put our needs above that of others, it brings us to places that we don’t even realize are actually pretty rotten and bad for us. 

 

But I promise, every single time - when you put others first, it honors God, and he blesses you because of it. Now hear me! I didn’t say others bless you because of it. In fact, you might put others first and get trampled all over! But God will always see you and bless you, as long as you do it for the purpose of seeing the best for them. 

 

But it’s your choice! You can be selfish and try to get everything you can, whatever way you can. I’ve never seen that end in a way that was healthy for someone. OR, you can choose to say, I’m going to put others first! When you do, I’ve never seen someone regret being the bigger person who honors others no matter what. 

 

So like Abram, may you put others first! May you think of others above yourself, and make room for their success! And when you do, may you see the blessings of God, as he leads you to places, you never could have imagined on your own.