A fair deal. Fair and square. Even stevens. As an exercise, mentally picture several parties that have to split something. Now picture the process that ensues to make sure it gets done evenly. I specifically think about estate disposal after family members pass. There’s several kids and the money, house(s), cars, property, etc. have to be split up evenly…hopefully. Usually lawyers get involved to ensure everybody gets what they think they deserve and often times it ends in brokenness. I’ve seen many families splintered as a result of this process, loving brothers and sisters driven apart because they didn’t get what they felt they deserved, had earned, or rightfully belonged to them. But what would you think of someone in this situation that merely sat back in silence, let the drama play out and simply said, “I’ll take whatever is left.” We’d probably say they were crazy, they didn’t need the money, or that they just don’t have a backbone to fight for what is rightfully theirs. Or is it something else?
Let me walk you back several books in the Old Testament to the book of Genesis, specifically chapter 15. Here we find two men, Abram and his nephew Lot. God had blessed Abram greatly and we’re told in Gen 15:2, “Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.” I believe that Abram greatly mentored his nephew Lot in many things, one being how to run a sheep business. Lot duplicated what he was taught from Abram, and as a result his flocks and herds grew as God blessed him also. The outcome? As the two men and their families, flocks, herds, tents and servants all traveled together, there was not enough grazing land to support their combined number of livestock. As we would say in Texas, “this town ain’t big enough for the both of us”, and Abram suggested they split company, cover more land and offer their flocks ample grazing land.
At this point in the story, who would you say is in the driver’s seat? Definitely Abram, right? He is the senior, he is wiser, has more influence, has more wealth and you could say he was Lot’s mentor, raising him and teaching him all he knew. So, who do you think should look out at the land before them and pick first? Basically, who should get first dibs? What the world would say and what God says are rarely in alignment and this instance is yet more proof of that.
“Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. Gen 15:8-13
Did you see that? Abram allows Lot to take his pick and man does he ever. He quickly takes the best land available and leaves ol’ Uncle Abram with what’s left. Also, don’t miss the lesson of where Lot’s selfish choice takes him…right to Sodom. What a picture we see of the character of Abram in this story. And as it happens, we see a similar glimpse into the soul of another great man of God today in Joshua chapter 19, Joshua himself.
For the last several chapters of Joshua we have seen the land being distributed to the tribes of Israel. The first few tribes were allotted their land by God and the last seven by first separating the land and then casting lots to see who got what. But throughout all of this, any allotment of land for Joshua is strangely silent. Joshua was a man of God, righteous before God and greatly obedient to God. He took the reins from Moses and was ordained directly by God to do so. God had him part the Jordan river and finally, after 40 years, walk God’s people into the land He had for them. I mean he even has a book of the Bible named after him. But in possibly his greatest service to God, he led the people in a fierce and relentless battle campaign to clear the land of the hostile, idol worshiping peoples that stood in the way of their future. I would say that Joshua had earned his right before God to take first pick in the Promised land. But he takes a page out of the book of Abram, shows his heart for the Lord and allows all others to choose before himself.
“When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun.” Joshua 19:49
What we see of these two men and their selfless actions reminds me of yet another man, but this man was the Son of God, Jesus Christ. You see, Jesus came to this Earth as God. He could have come as a wealthy King, but He came as a poor child, sleeping in a feeding trough. He could have defeated all the evil men in His path, but He chose to die at their very hands. He could have silenced all His critics, but He endured relentless mockery and ridicule from them. He could have avoided the violence aimed at Him, but instead He endured flogging, beating and torture. He could have avoided the Cross, but He hung there and died to save all people from their sins. You see, Jesus did not come for Himself, He came for us.
We get our entire lesson summed up in a few verses, delivered directly from Jesus Himself as He instructs us to duplicate the hearts of Abram and Joshua in our walk today.
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matt 20:26-28
Today, don’t look to pick first. Today, don’t look to claim what is yours before others have chosen. Today, don’t look to be first as those in great need line up behind you. Today, don’t look to be served but to serve. Today, don’t look to be blessed but to bless.
Jesus gives us our example, He hung on a Cross for our sins, never thinking of Himself but only those condemned by their sin. Today, place others first and follow the example of Jesus.
May you yearn for Jesus today.
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