Looking Out for Number One

January 7

Genesis 13-14

Psalm 5:7-12

Proverbs 1:17-19

Matthew 6:1-18

Looking Out for Number One

“Then Abram said to Lot, ‘Please let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives.  Isn’t the whole land before you?  Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”  Genesis 13:8-9 HCSB

The world teaches us that if we don’t look out for our own best interests, no one will.  We have to look out for number one.  We have to get all we are entitled to.  We have rights and we should fight for them.  Philippians 2:3-4 teaches us a very different concept.  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of others.” (NIV) Abram exhibited this type of unselfish attitude in his dealings with Lot.  He let Lot choose which land he wanted.  Abram was Lot’s uncle and the leader of the family.  He had every right to pick what he wanted and give what was left over to Lot or to take it all for himself and tell Lot to go find his own land.  But in humility, he considered Lot’s interests before his own and let Lot choose first. 

Abram trusted God and knew that God would look out for his interests.  He didn’t have to fight to get what was owed him.  He trusted God to give him what He wanted him to have, and that whatever God chose to give him would be what was best for him.  We can trust God just as Abram did.  God has our back.  He will defend our cause.  We can approach others in love and reverence and trust God to look out for us.  It seems that the more I focus on serving others and looking out for the interests of others instead of focusing on getting what I want and think I deserve, the happier I am.