My grandfather Clarence Brooks loved his two chihuahuas named Tip and Zip. Whenever we visited him, we went to the A and W Drive in for an ice cream cone. Sitting in his GMC camper, everybody was served, including Tip and Zip. We all got our own cones and grandpa bought one for the dogs. They shared their cone with each other, mostly in a friendly way. We were glad we did not have to share with them.
A few years ago, I saw a video of another family letting their dogs share the ice cream. The first little dog licked the cone. His owner said the little dog had to go first as a large dog waited impatiently, looking like he might lunge. Then she gave the big dog his turn and he gulped the whole cone in one bite. When he took his ice cream, the sharing was over because the cone was gone.
“So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of Jordan” (13:11). The nephew took his uncle at his word. When he picked the land, he took everything he wanted. What was left for his Uncle Abram and his Aunt Sarai? Like their descendants the Levites, Abram and Sarai discovered that the Lord was their portion. He would give them the land they needed, in all directions. They would have all the land and they would have the offspring to fill it. In fact, God told Abram to walk the length and breadth of the land because it was all a gift. Abram found a place with great trees at Hebron and there he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord. Abram worshiped everywhere he went, because God was always first in his heart. He sought the Lord first and God gave him all he needed.
Raising four sons, my dad had a rule: if you divide something, like dessert, one cuts the cake and the other gets to choose first. This kept us honest. One brother could not take advantage of the others. We don’t know Lot’s heart, but we know God took care of Abram, just as he had promised. Abram’s generosity with his nephew did not create lack for him. Just so, we may trust God to give us everything we need for life and godliness today. God’s love is not a zero sum. You are not too late to the party. Trust him and obey.
