Unselfish Love

What happens when a person begins a journey of faith in God? God chooses to bless such a person by getting personally involved in the life and work of such an individual. Godly faith, or saving faith, by definition produces good character and good deeds. Love in the individual is the most important result of a love relationship with God. Unselfish love is what the journey of faith produces.

Scripture Passage: Genesis 13:1-18
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Abram was the patriarch of the family. In Genesis 13, we find he was living in the land of Canaan with his wife and his nephew, Lot. Abram and Lot had been blessed with great wealth -- this meant many servants and animals. At one point, we find that a family conflict develops because the land they occupy is simply too small to support all of the people and livestock. Quarrels break out among them. This is an opportunity for us to see Abram's faith in action.

Godly faith produces prayerful love

Abram seeks the LORD and His guidance for all of life's issues through prayer. Genesis 13:4 tells us that Abram began to call on the name of the LORD. This was not the first time for Abram (as we see in Genesis. 12:8) nor will it be the last. Abram found that through prayer:

He could commune with Almighty God and worship Him. (Gen. 12:7-8)

He was guided by God on troubling issues. (Gen. 13:4,8-9)

He found answers to personal challenges. (Gen. 15:2-4)

He could intercede with a merciful God on behalf of others. (Gen. 18:25-33)

Abram found that it was true what the Psalmist would later write: "The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth" (Psalm 145:18, NIV). Abram's faith was producing an unselfish love that prayed for God's involvement in all aspects of his life. He loved others enough to seek the LORD's guidance and provision through prayer. Because Abram's faith produced a strong prayer life, he had God's wisdom at his disposal to use in dealing with Lot.

Godly faith produces reconciling love

Family conflicts are inevitable when people with different tastes and desires live in close proximity with one another. Conflict itself is not necessarily a sin. When a problem arises over two legitimate needs which are opposed to each other, conflict happens. What is important is how to deal with such an issue.

Abram and Lot both had legitimate needs for grazing land and water. They both had abundant cattle and livestock which required these things. Their servants began to quarrel with one another as they tried to meet these needs. In Genesis 13:8, we find a godly man who earnestly desires to settle the quarrel. Abram had learned that quarreling did not produce the righteous life which pleases God. The Apostle Paul points out, "And the LORD's servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful" (2 Timothy 2:24, NIV). Abram recognized that Lot was family and, moreoever, his brother in the LORD. Therefore, Abram reached out to settle the dispute. His faith produced an unselfish love that would not settle for a contentious family. Unselfish love works earnestly to settle family conflicts amicably.

Godly faith produces generous love

As the elder in the family, Abram had a "right" to rule the family. He had a "right" to all the wealth. He had a "right" to claim whatever land the family occupied. As Lot's Uncle and, in a sense, adopted father, Abram had a "right" to tell Lot what to do. Yet Abram's faith was growing day-by-day as God worked in his heart and in his life. Abram chose to forgo such rights in favor of harmony. In the process, he offered Lot an incredible deal -- take whatever land you wish.

Lot realized he was at one of those "life-milestones." For us, such decisions may be in choosing a career, buying a house, or deciding when (and if) to retire. Lot surely knew that he would one day look back on this moment and realize it was a significant event in his life. Did Lot ask for God's guidance in this major decision? No. In fact, we see in this passage that Lot:

Did not seek God's direction in this major event since he "...chose for himself the choice land" (Genesis 13:11, NIV).

Sought material gain without a spiritual foundation.

Failed to gain God's blessing on his decision. (Genesis 13:14)

Lot chose the choice, fertile land. This would not have been such a bad decision were it not for the wickedness which abounded in that land. People living in the plain were "...sinning greatly against the LORD" (Genesis 13:13, NIV). It is near these people that Lot was choosing to locate his whole family. Lot's decision ultimately destroyed his family.

"There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12;16:25, NIV). When you try to live or to love without God's involvement in your life, you find death not life. Lot's decision caused him to lose all his wealth. More importantly, Lot lost his family to perverse wickedness which reigned in the land Lot chose -- the infamous land of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Reflect on YOUR life: Godly faith produces unselfish love likethat which Abram demonstrated. In fact, this is the only way you can reallylearn how to love unselfishly. You learn by example. As the Apostle Johnpoints out, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:10-11, NIV). Our example in love and our motivation to love is found in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ our LORD, God settled a "family conflict" between His sinful children and His holiness. Godly faith produces unselfish love. Let the LORD work in you to fill you with His love that you might, in turn, fill others with that same love. "Serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13, NIV).

Our Creator God loves you and wants you to know Him! If you would like to contact this ministry for further information or questions, please send your e-mail to:
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Copyright 1999, Randy Lariscy.