Salem or Sodom?
Genesis 14:17–24
I will accept nothing belonging to you. Genesis 14:23 (NIV)
Abram chose Salem over Sodom in the most absolute way. This is the thrust of the text. When the king of Sodom offered to share the spoils of war with him, Abram did not merely say, “That is a nice offer you made, but why don’t you take half, and I’ll take half?” Nor did he say, “I don’t need anything now. If I ever have need of anything, I’ll come down and ask you for it.” No, he said, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ I will accept nothing . . . ” (vv. 22–24 NIV).
Think how absolute this is. Abram repeats the word “nothing” twice. He explains what he means, saying that it excludes even the thread of a garment or the cord that binds a sandal. He swears before God that he will take this position and stand by it.
One of the great weaknesses of the church is that so few are willing to be consistently absolute in their commitment to Christ and his kingdom. There are commitments, of course. But many are halfhearted. Christians are halfhearted in their commitment to God, in their commitment to one another, in their commitment to Christ’s service.
I apply this thinking to Christian leadership. I am convinced that only a total commitment to people and to place will ever produce the kind of changes and progress we so desperately need. I like to put our need in three categories. First, we need commitment to people before programs. This does not mean that programs are unimportant. But it means that commitment to people must come first. We must want to see people develop.
Second, we need a commitment to place before promotions. So many, even in Christian work, use one job merely as a stepping-stone to another, more important position. We have to be known as those who care for and intend to remain in the place to which the Lord has called us.
Third, we need commitment to both people and place for an indefinite period of time, which means until we die—unless God clearly and forcefully leads otherwise. Without this time commitment, the other commitments are only halfhearted conveniences, and the word commitment means nothing.
Commitment begins, not with a city or program, but with a personal, total commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Make that commitment, and do not be halfhearted about it.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.