Let’s Not Have Any Quarreling, for We Are Brothers
Genesis 13
Abram (Abraham) went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and Lot. Abraham had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. Lot’s possessions too were so great that they were not able to stay together. And even quarreling arose between Abraham’s herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot.
Abraham said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”
Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, toward Zoar. This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The LORD said to Abraham after Lot had parted from him,
“Lift up your eyes and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted.”
So Abraham moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre, where he built an altar for the LORD.
If Abraham had desired to take the better land as an elder, the two herds would have constantly quarreled. However, as he considered harmony between family members as more important than immediate gains, he could give in for his nephew Lot and let him take the better land. Upon Abraham who yielded good things to his nephew, God bestowed overflowing blessings.
When we take away greed, we can willingly give in for others. If greed sets in our hearts and tries to break unity between brothers or sisters, let us fathom the heart of God, who is pleased to bless those who give in for others and make efforts to be united.
“As Abraham was blessed with the better when he gave in for his nephew Lot, so we are blessed more greatly when we give in for our brothers and sisters”.From the Teachings of Mother