I think Christmas can bring out the worst in some people. Now before you get upset, I don’t think Christmas is the issue. I make my comment based on some of the footage of the Black Friday sales. There was so much chaos and violence… all to save a buck or two!

Sometimes people who have less are more materialistic than those who have a lot. I know people who don’t have as much, but all they think about is getting more stuff. They dream about stuff. That is where their heart is. And it is all about the heart. I think i used to be one of them. That being said, the interesting thing is statistically, people who make less, give more than those who have a lot.

But sometimes people with a lot are also very materialistic. For some, there is never enough. They have millions and want billions. And many will try to achieve it at the expense of others.

But I have also met people who have a lot and are very generous. I have heard stories of people giving away their new vehicles to those in need or going out of their way to help a worthy cause. I experienced it when a friend paid for most of my tuition of my last semester of school.

People like that generally don’t let everyone know all the things they do for others; they just do them quietly. They are thankful for what God has blessed them with. Because of that, they will often go out of their way to help others.

Abraham had a lot of stuff, but his heart was right with God. His nephew Lot had a lot of stuff too, but all he seemed to care about was getting more stuff. They both tried to coexist in an area, but the Bible tells us in Genesis 13:6, “the land was not able to support them.”

But soon strife developed between the herdsmen who worked for Abraham and the herdsmen who worked for Lot. A separation needed to be made because Abraham and Lot were going in two different directions. It was a problem of the heart.

So Abraham gave his nephew a choice. He basically said, “You go wherever you want, and I will go in the opposite direction.” “I don’t want to fight with you anymore.” “You decide where you want to live and where you want your herds to graze.”

This was a risk because the land was basically made up of two different sections. One was green and lush, sure to produce great herds. The other was more barren and would mean more work for the herdsmen with less food for their animals.

By not making a choice, Abraham was in effect making a profound choice. He was choosing to give Lot the best choice. Abraham decided to leave the outcome to God. He left it up to the Lord. That is because Abraham was a peacemaker and not a troublemaker.

It takes a lot of faith to let someone else make a decision on your behalf. But Abraham had his faith in God who oversees all decisions. He trusted God’s will rather than impose his own.

Maybe you have been tempted to compromise in a certain area? It takes a tremendous amount of faith to do what is right and to live a life of integrity.
Leave it in the hands of God. You will never regret it.