It was Wednesday night. We had finished our lesson and our handwork. We had a little down time, so we decided to play a game. I was teaching 4 and 5 year olds at the time. Naturally, they are a little more advanced than 2's and 3's.
At this age, children are beginning to learn more and more about the world around them. Usually by this time, they have begun to understand the concept of games and really like to play them. Guessing games are a good way for them to test their knowledge and help them build on what they have already learned. It was favorite activity in this particular class.
We had six children in this age group, so there were two of us teaching together. We always enjoyed playing the "guess who" game with them. One of us would secretly pick out the name of a Bible character and give hints from the story of that character. An example would be "I tried to hide from God. Guess who?" If that hint was not helpful, we continued to give other more obvious ones until the class was able to guess the person's name.
Sometimes when we played this game, the children liked to be the ones to give the hints and let the teachers guess who the Bible character was. So it was on this night ... several years ago. Our young student was really excited to have his turn. The other teacher and I were curious to know who he might come up with.
Now you have to understand that children take what they hear from a Bible story and process it in a way that they can understand it for themselves. We ALL do that though - not just children. I put pictures in my head all the time to help me learn something new. However, we also all know that sometimes children think differently than we do as adults.
So it was the child's turn. It went something like this:
"OK, what's your first clue?" I asked.
The little boy eagerly replied, "His house blew up."
Well that's not much to go on, I thought to myself.
I looked at the other teacher and she was smiling, but I couldn't tell from her expression if she might know who or what he was talking about.
Thinking he might have something mixed up somewhere -- maybe even something he'd seen on the news - I asked, "His house blew up?"
"Yes," he said. "His house blew up and he didn't have a place to live anymore."
"Really?" I said.
And in my mind, "What could this child be thinking?" When neither one of his teachers replied, the little boy went on ... "His house blew up, and he didn't have anywhere to go and he walked and he walked a long time, and finally he found a cave in the mountains to spend the night."
At this point, the other teacher finally looked over at me and still with a smile on her face said under her breath, "I hope you know what he's talking about because I don't have a clue."
I'd already gone through all the Bible stories I could think of --- from both the Old and the New Testament - all kinds of mental pictures had run through my mind. And with that last clue, the one about a cave in the mountains, I thought I just might know who our little guy was talking about. So I asked him, "Are you talking about Lot?"
"Yes!" he said excitedly. His house blew up and his whole town did and he had to walk a long time and go to the mountains and live in a cave.
Well, I had to admit the child was right. Lot was Abraham's nephew and if you don't know his story, it would be worthwhile to learn about him. He is first introduced in Genesis chapter 12. Lot's story is intertwined with Abraham's and he is mentioned several times between chapters 12 through 19.
There is a back story that leads up to him losing his home, but Genesis 19 is the lesson that our little student had in mind. He was pretty much right on target:
"The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven." (Gen. 19:24) -- I think it is fair to say that Lot's house and the whole town could have blown up ....
Lot was homeless. He and his family didn't have anywhere to go. The angels told him to leave the plain and take his family into the mountains, but Lot begged to go the "little city" of Zoar. The angels agreed. (19: 17-23)
However, after the destruction of those two evil cities, Lot became afraid to stay in Zoar and chapter 19 verse 30 tells us that he did leave and go into the mountains and lived in a cave with his two daughters.
Young children never cease to amaze me! I couldn't believe how this sweet little boy had remembered the story. The details had impressed him enough to share it with us. Young minds are like little sponges. Even when you don't think they are paying attention, they pick up so much from what they hear and see! We hadn't studied about Lot in Bible class, but someone had taught him this story and he had remembered it well.
We should all remember the story of Lot from time to time. We can learn many lessons from his life and the choices he made. Time will not allow me to go into great depth here tonight, but those of us who know the history of Abraham's nephew understand that he made unwise decisions and paid for them dearly.
When Lot and Abraham had to part company because their servants began fighting over the land's resources, Abraham gave Lot first choice over which way to go. Lot chose the plain of Jordan because it was "well-watered" everywhere (Genesis 13:10). He chose the best land -- but after all, Abraham did give him first choice and some of us may have done the same.
Lot went one direction with his household and Abraham went the opposite way. The physical/ geographical direction both men took is somewhat symbolic of their spiritual direction as well. Genesis 13:12 tells us that Lot "pitched his tent toward Sodom." He may not have even intended to end up in that city. But by the time we get to Genesis 19, we can see that his household is well established within its walls.
That's how Satan gets us though. We don't usually all of a sudden fall into sin like one might fall into a hole dug into the ground. It usually doesn't happen that fast. Temptation is alluring and inviting and we are curious or careless or both -- we go a little closer to check it out. Temptation keeps calling and we keep getting closer. Before you know it, we are right smack dab in the middle of it just like Lot ended up inside the city of Sodom.
Sodom was an evil and corrupt place -- but for some reason it held an attraction for Lot. He was aware of the corruption going on in that city. Whether or not he was actually a partaker in anything that was going on there, I don't know. I do know he didn't choose to stay away from a spiritually dangerous situation. He also exposed his wife and daughters to the sinfulness there.
Even when the men of the Lord were there to warn him and help him and his family get away, the Bible tells us that he lingered to the point that the men had to take him and his wife and daughters by the hand to bring them out of the city. (Genesis 19:16)
Once you become entangled in the sinful world, it is often difficult to pull yourself away. That is why Peter tells us to "Be sober, be vigilant - for your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." (I Peter 5:8) Have you ever watched one of those nature shows on TV and seen a lion on the hunt? We are being hunted, my friends; and the hunter is someone we cannot possibly outrun without God's help.
Always remember that God loves us. He sent Jesus Christ to earth to save us from our sins. If we are sober, obedient and watchful, He will help us to be aware of temptation when it comes our way. He will help us resist the devil, so that he flees from us.
Peter continues in I Peter 5:9 by telling us to resist the devil and remain steadfast in the faith, knowing that brothers and sisters throughout the world are going through the same sufferings.
So remember don't be like Lot and linger over something you know is not good for you. Your house might blow up!
I can think of no better way to end tonight than by leaving you with Peter's beautiful words of encouragement which follow his warning of the devil.
" And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." (I Peter 5:10)
What a heavenly thought!
Christ above all things,
Robin
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