Abram and Lot
Read Genesis 13:1–18. What does this story teach us about the impor-
tance of character?

Abram returns to where he was before, as if his trip to Egypt were a
mere unfortunate detour. God’s history with Abram starts again, where
it had stopped since his first trip to the Promised Land. Abram’s first
station is Bethel (Gen. 13:3), just as in his first trip to the land (Gen.
12:3–6). Abram has repented and is back to “himself ”: Abram, the
man of faith.
Abram’s reconnection with God already shows in his relationship
with people, in the way that he handles the problem with Lot, his
nephew, concerning the use of the land. It is Abram himself who pro-
poses a peaceful agreement and allows Lot to choose first (Gen. 13:9,
10), an act of generosity and kindness indicative of the kind of man
Abram was.
The fact that Lot chose the easiest and best part for himself—the well-
watered plain (Gen. 13:10, 11)—without any concern about the wicked-
ness of his future neighbors (Gen. 13:13) reveals something about his
greediness and character. The phrase “for himself ” reminds us of the
antediluvians, who also chose “for themselves” (see Gen. 6:2).
In contrast, Abram’s move was an act of faith. Abram did not choose
the land; it was given to him by God’s grace. Unlike Lot, Abram looked
at the land only at God’s injunction (Gen. 13:14). It is only when Abram
separates from Lot that God speaks to him again (Gen. 13:14). In fact,
this is the first recorded time in the Bible that God speaks to Abram
since his call at Ur. “ ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where
you are—­northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land
which you see I give to you and your descendants forever’ ” (Gen. 13:14,
15, NKJV). God, then, invites Abram to “ ‘walk’ ” on this land as an act of
appropriation. “ ‘Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width,
for I give it to you’ ” (Gen. 13:17, NKJV).
The Lord, though, makes it very clear that He, God, is giving it to
Abram. It is a gift, a gift of grace, which Abram must appropriate by
faith, a faith that leads to obedience. It is the work of God alone that will
bring about all that He has promised to Abram here (see Gen. 13:14–17).
How can we learn to be kind and generous to others, even when
they aren’t that way to us?