“罗得举目看见约但河的全平原，直到琐珥，都是滋润的，… 也像埃及地。” – 创 13:10
亚伯拉罕和侄儿罗得都是富有的牧羊人。可是他们的牧人却彼此相争，为了解决这场地盘争夺战，亚伯拉罕建议他们分别在不同的地方牧养他们的牲畜。那里毕竟有很多可以用作畜牧的好地方。
罗得看见约但河畔肥沃的土地，他为自己的好处着想，所以他不假思索便知道怎样选择了。可是罗得缺少了洞察力，他只看见眼前有很大吸引力的土地。但是附近的所多玛和蛾摩拉会带来邪恶败坏的搅扰，长远来说，他没有考虑到在这些城市附近生活会如何影响他的属灵生命 － 又或许他只是盲目自信，亳不在乎。罗得的目光被眼前丰盛的物质蒙蔽了，他在所多玛附近搭建了帐棚 － 最终成为那里的居民（创世记 14:11）。后来，罗得失去了一切 － 包括丧失他的至亲。在此期间，对罪恶的稍稍让步和小小妥协最终导至悲剧（创世记 19章）。
罗得的一生便是我们的警钟。我们不可能既向罪恶妥协却又免受伤害；我们不可能既与魔鬼共舞却又安然无恙。道德上的妥协是逐步深陷歧途的开始。
祷告
主啊，世俗的享受和物质的收获使我们感到目不暇接，我们很容易便会迷失。求你引领我们去祈求得着你的智慧并以此为生活中持守的准则。又求你加力给我们，好叫我们能够抵挡魔鬼的试探，更加亲近你。奉耶稣之名祈求，阿们。
创世记 13:5-13
5与亚伯兰同行的罗得也有牛群、羊群、帐篷。
6那地容不下他们，因为他们的财物甚多，使他们不能同居。
7当时，迦南人与比利洗人在那地居住。亚伯兰的牧人和罗得的牧人相争。
8亚伯兰就对罗得说：“你我不可相争，你的牧人和我的牧人也不可相争，因为我们是骨肉。
9遍地不都在你眼前吗？请你离开我。你向左，我就向右；你向右，我就向左。”
10罗得举目，看见约旦河的全平原，直到琐珥，都是滋润的。那地在耶和华未灭所多玛、蛾摩拉以先如同耶和华的园子，也像埃及地。
11于是罗得选择约旦河的全平原，往东迁移。他们就彼此分离了。
12亚伯兰住在迦南地，罗得住在平原的城邑，渐渐挪移帐篷，直到所多玛。
13所多玛人在耶和华面前罪大恶极。
Dancing With The Devil
“Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered . . . like the land of Egypt.” – Genesis 13:10
Abraham and his nephew Lot were wealthy sheepherders. But bickering broke out between their herdsmen. To resolve this turf war, Abraham suggested they herd their livestock in separate areas. After all, there was plenty of good land to use.
Lot eyed the fertile land by the Jordan River. He wanted the best for himself, so the choice became a no-brainer for him. But Lot lacked discernment and saw only the attraction of the land in front of him. He did not consider the long-term spiritual consequences of living near Sodom and Gomorrah, with their evil influences—or maybe he just didn’t care. Lot’s vision was clouded by the material prosperity he saw. He pitched his tents near Sodom—and eventually became a resident there (Genesis 14:11). Later on, Lot lost everything—even those who were close to him. Small concessions and little compromises along the way led to disaster (Genesis 19).
Lot’s life serves as a warning sign. We cannot compromise with wickedness and evil and come away unscathed. We cannot dance with the devil without getting hurt. Moral compromise begins with small steps in the wrong direction.
Prayer
Lord, worldly pleasures and earthly gains dazzle us, and we can easily lose our way. Guide us to ask for your wisdom and to live by it. Strengthen us to be able to resist the devil and to draw near to you. In Jesus, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
