“Then Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.’ And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, … (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other” (Genesis 13:8-11, ESV).

Abraham chooses by faith, Lot by sight. Abraham was willing to put someone else first. He took the high road and humbled himself and didn’t demand to have the first and best as the oldest, or as the one God called to go there, or some other reason.

Abraham walked in love. By faith he trusted God’s blessing on him wherever he went. The location wasn’t important. It was God with Him that brought the blessing. At the moment, it seemed like Lot was getting the better deal. He thought he was choosing what would be a blessing to him, but blessings don’t come from stuff. Our blessing doesn’t come from getting the thing we want, not even the job, or spouse, or school or whatever it is. Our blessing comes from the ultimate blessing of Emmanuel, God with us.

If God goes with us, we can’t not have the blessing. Wherever we are, and whatever is happening, it is a blessing in our lives if God is with us in it. We all know the Sodom and Gomorrah story. That’s what Lot unknowingly chose, and he stayed even when he knew it was bad. He made his choice and his family with him. Abraham chose to walk by faith in obedience to His God, and therein lies his path to blessing: he walked with God. God’s presence brought the blessing with Abraham everywhere he went.