“And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren” (Genesis 13:8).
TEXT — Genesis 13:1-12
Message
A story was told about two ladies in a train coach arguing about the window. One claimed she would die of heatstroke unless it was opened. The other said she would die of pneumonia if it was not kept closed. The ladies called the conductor, who was at a loss as to how to solve the problem. It was then that the stranger sitting with them in the coach spoke up. “First, open the window. That will kill one. Then close it. That will kill the other. Then we will have peace.” His suggestion sounds absurd since we do not need to kill to resolve conflicts.
As observed in the text for consideration today, the love and desire for peace made Abraham give Lot, his cousin, the right of first choice, though the latter had profited immensely from him. Lot chose what appeared to be the best part of the lands available but still Abraham was content.
Christians must be willing to suffer loss, belittlement, and deprivation of legitimate opportunities for the sake of peace. Strife or contention, has been a significant cause of disunity among chief friends. Though strife can be avoided, many allow squabbles to linger until significant damage is done. Strife hinders progress and results in disharmony, disaffection and regrets. The effects of strife are not limited to the originators but have staggering ripple effects on many other people who may be innocent of the root cause of the problems.
Strife is a feature of the unregenerated heart and could also be found among spiritual people if they are not watchful. Human agencies hardly find lasting solutions to conflicts because it is a heart issue. We must ask God for the operation of His Spirit to regenerate and make us peace lovers and peacemakers.
Thought for the day
Strife is better nipped in the bud than at harvest time!
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
