The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is found in Genesis 19. In it we find Lot and his family living in the wicked city. Angels appear to sleep in the square and Lot is concerned. He begs them to come in and sleep in his house. The Angels agree. Men both young and old start to assemble outside his door. They want the two visitors brought out so that they can have sexual relations with them. Lot begs them not to carry out this wicked deed and even offers his daughters to the mob!
The Angels see what is happening and rescues Lot and blind the crowd. They tell Lot to get his family out of the city imminently. He contacts his two future son-laws and they think he is joking. The Angeles start to insist on Lot to leave the city now, but Lot "hesitates".
Lot is in the middle of a terribly sinful place and yet he hesitates to leave. The Angeles have to take Lot and family by the hands to get them out of the city! Several thoughts go through my mind. First Lot had lived so long in the city that he was more like the people than a person of God. Secondly, Lot must have liked what he had in Sodom. He like his house his wealth, the people knew him. Lot was no longer shaping his environment, but was being shaped by it. Lot was no longer a witness of God!
Can you see where I am going? I think there is a lesson for us here in America. We have everything and we like what we have, so much so that we are willing to give up our witness to keep it. I see it all around us. We turn a blind eye to sin so that we don't 'rock' the boat. We keep quiet because someone might label us hateful or a bigot. So we hesitate, so we keep quiet, so we are silent.
There is only one problem with this and it's the Word of God. Jesus said, "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38 NIV) We are not to be ashamed of our Lord. We are to live our lives in such a way that we shape our environment around us not vice versa. Lot was rescued despite his hesitation. God rescues us from the world around us. He has placed his Holy Spirit in us. Peter says, His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3 NIV) God gives us the ability to stand up for his name sake. He helps us when we hesitate. We just need to let him lead us by the hand!
-ps
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