Genesis chapter 19: verse 1 (NIV)
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
Genesis chapter 19: verses 16-20 (NIV)
When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” But Lot said to them, “No, my lords, please! Your servant has found favour in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it—it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.”
Generally, when we think of making a compromise, it can be seen as a good thing to resolve matters of disagreement or conflict, and sometimes that is right and proper. But when it comes to matters regarding our spiritual life, compromise of any kind often takes us out of God’s will.
Before the angels were sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham had asked God to spare the cities if there were ten righteous men living there. There weren’t. But here we see Lot, whom the angels had come to rescue, sitting at the gate of the city. In Old Testament times, having a seat at the gate of a city meant that you were given a place of authority. So, in spite of all the wickedness going on where he lived, Lot was happy to take his place among those who probably did not share his beliefs. Perhaps he hoped to influence them, but it seems that the opposite was in fact the case. Later in the chapter we read that Lot’s intended sons-in-law thought he was joking when he warned them of the imminent danger. It seems they didn’t share his beliefs either. He even offered his daughters as sexual playthings to the mob who turned up at his door.
But we read that even although he continued to hesitate, the Lord was merciful to him and he was led to safety. Yet even then, he still sought to compromise and try to walk an easier road, he wouldn’t completely follow the angels’ instructions, and wanted to do what he thought was best. Yet doing so didn’t help at all.
We need to see this for the warning that it is. There is no room for compromise, in my opinion, in spiritual matters and there is no such thing as an easier road than the one that God has for us. It leads us only into difficulty. The safest road is the one that God has mapped out for us, no matter how difficult it may seem to us.
Dear Lord,
Even though the story of Lot is a difficult one, it teaches us a lesson that the wisest thing we can do is stick close to You, follow Your direction completely, and never think that by compromising we can do better doing our own thing. Thank You that even when we do, You show mercy to us, and lead us to where You want us to be. You are a gracious and compassionate God. Amen.