I don’t know about you, but as a child, I fought with my siblings ALL THE TIME. We fought over who rode in the front seat, who got the last soda, and who could borrow whose clothes. I definitely hadn’t learned how to put others before myself; I just wanted the most and the best for myself. In a family of six, there was always a battle over being first and having the best. In that situation, identity can easily get wrapped up in even the simplest of possessions or positions.

In today’s reading, Lot and Abram’s herdsmen had a similar issue with quarreling. Lot had come with Abram, his protector and guardian, to the land God promised Abram. This land where Abram built an altar and set up tents had become so crowded that Lot’s herdsmen and Abram’s herdsmen fought over the limited resources available to them.

Instead of telling Lot to make the long trip back to their homeland in Ur, Abram displayed wisdom, humility, and generosity. He set a boundary in an attempt to maintain harmony. You go your way; I’ll go my way. Abram gave Lot a portion of land to use, and then He let Lot choose the most desirable section of land. Abram was generous because his identity wasn’t in his possessions but in God’s promises. Abram took a messy situation and set a boundary to display love and generosity to family, display his faith in God, and display the faithfulness of God in all situations. Abram was living out Philippians 2:3-4:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others."

In Genesis 13:14-17, we can see our Father’s grace and generosity as He restates His promises to Abram. Abram’s family and land had just been divided, yet God promised him two things: the land would belong to Abram and his descendants forever, and God would give Abram countless descendants to bless with this inheritance. God finished by asking Abram to walk the physical boundaries of the land in order to remember what God had promised. God wasn’t going to accomplish His plans through Lot or in another land, but through Abram’s descendants and this land that had already been promised.

As I read of Abram’s generosity to his nephew and God’s generosity to Abram, I can’t help but think of Jesus’s example to us. Philippians 2:5-11 says:

“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — in heaven and on earth and under the earth — and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This is our true example of humility and generosity: Jesus, who humbled himself to give us the best gift of salvation and eternal life through Him. Our identity is not in the material possessions or a temporary position we have but in Christ because of what He gave. Be humble, be generous, and love others. That is who Christ has called us to be.


Reflection & Response:
Who has shown you generosity or humility in the past? How did that example impact you?

How can you show generosity and humility when in conflict with others?

Read Philippians 2 to see what Paul says about believers and humility.

Use the content below to dive deeper into the Bible Reading Plan with your family.

Family Application: Being Generous

Today our story is all about Abram and his nephew Lot. God had blessed both Abram and Lot so they had so much that they could not stay together any longer. There was not enough room for both of them, their families, their animals, and their things. So, they decided to split up and go to different places. Abram let Lot choose where he wanted to go, and Abram would go to the place that Lot did not choose.

Abram was generous enough to let Lot choose before him. Just like Abram, we can all choose to be generous. We can let someone go before us in line, we give someone a gift, we could say something nice. There are so many ways we can be generous.

Who is someone you can be generous to today? How are you going to do that?

Prayer for today: God, you are so amazing. You are so good to us. Lord, you are so generous. God, show me one person I can be generous to today. Lord, help me choose your way instead of my way today. Amen.