"So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord" (Genesis 3:18).
One day Abraham and his nephew Lot woke up and found that the land they were living on could no longer support both their families and their flocks. It was decision time. They were going to have to split up. This meant someone had to go a different direction. But who should get first choice of the land? Obviously, Abraham is Lot's senior and by all rights should have that choice. Abraham could have pulled rank on Lot since he was the elder. This story is the model for splitting a business partnership. However, few business people are willing to follow Abraham's example.
Abram takes a totally different approach to solving this problem. He tells Lot to choose which land he wants. Imagine--Abraham could be committing suicide and murdering his family if he cannot find adequate land and water for them. He gave up his rights in the matter. Lot took full advantage too. "Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar." So, Lot leaves and takes up residence in the valley later to be known as "Sodom and Gomorrah." It is funny how what seems good on the front end often turns out to be disastrous. Such will be the case for Lot and his family.
As for Abram, he made a choice. He decided to take the high road of life that didn't necessarily mean his life circumstances would benefit him. He was willing to leave that outcome to God. He made the decision based upon an eternal measuring stick. Interestingly, the place where Abram moved was called "Mamre." In Hebrew, the name "Mamre" means "strength." How can choosing the weakest position become "strength?" Jesus must have asked the same question of His Father when faced with the proposition of going to the cross. How can the cross be a place of strength? The devil thought he had won, but the cross is what freed the captives for eternity. The Bible tells us that when we are weak, then we are really strong. To willingly choose the way of the cross becomes our strength.
