Fight over Need (Genesis 13)

 Fight over Need

Throughout the ages there have always been quarrels, fights and even wars over property. 

But assuming this is always based on pure greed is wrong. Oftentimes certain property may seem like a necessity for certain people, groups or even countries. They may have a great need. But this can cause conflict.

Some people fight for property because of greed while using certain justifications and excuses. 

But in some cases actual concerns are understandable.

This was the case with Abram and Lot:


[Gen 13:1-7 NKJV] 1 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. 2 Abram [was] very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD. 5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.


Greed alone does not cause strife. Need can do the job just as well.

And in this case it did. It even became a family problem.

Both were very rich, but there was not enough land to sustain their possessions. Both sides could appeal to their need to keep their flock alive.

But this wouldn’t work so well while they were travelling together.

Thus need can cause division. In this case the need was ironically caused by being rich, which is not bad in itself. They had a flock and it is fair to want to take care of it.

When there is a fight over property or when people do bad things for property we should not assume that they just do it for the sake of greed. Sometimes a real need is the cause, even if people are rich like Abram and Lot.

But how can this be resolved? 

Too many times people went into fights with each other over property without trying to understand the perspective of the other side. Wars have been fought over this.

Sometimes a solution is truly impossible, but not always.

Instead of being rash, we should take the example of Abram:


[Gen 13:8-9 NKJV] 8 So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we [are] brethren. 9 "[Is] not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If [you take] the left, then I will go to the right; or, if [you go] to the right, then I will go to the left."


Simply talking it out, a desire for peace, a willingness to share and to find a solution would do a lot. This will not solve every scenario, but it would certainly reduce a lot of issues.

And such should our mentality be. Try to understand and desire peace.


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