Devotional: Genesis 19

Genesis 19:4-8

But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.”

In 2005 a team of Navy SEALs on a mission in Afghanistan were discovered and killed by the Taliban. All died but one. He was able to escape and evade enemy forces and was rescued by a local Pashtun villager who protected him from the Taliban by appealing to their culture’s code of honor and hospitality towards guests.

This is the same sort of thing that Lot is appealing to in Genesis 19:6-8, where he pleads with the people of Sodom to “not act so wickedly” and “do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” Knowing that Lot’s proposed solution was to sacrifice his daughters diminishes the honor of this hospitality quite a bit; nonetheless, it is a good and godly thing to host, serve, and protect guests in our homes. However, we must have our priorities and motivations aligned with God.

This sort of hospitality flows from how God relates with us through Christ. Therefore, although God-honoring hospitality is sacrificial, it doesn’t sacrifice family. For example, if you have turned your home into a boarding house for every stranger you see without talking to your spouse and kids about it first, you have missed the point. Pastors can not love their ministry more than their families, or they have failed miserably. People who do not provide for their families spiritually, physically, and emotionally are denied true faith and are considered worse than unbelievers (1 Tim 5:8). This cannot be just one person charging the hill of hospitality, leaving the family behind. That is all but guaranteed to make hospitality more about how you are perceived by those around you rather than honoring and worshipping God.

This is the hospitality of Lot, who was so concerned about upholding the cultural expectations concerning guests that he was willing to sacrifice his daughters to be sexually used by the men of Sodom. There had to be another solution that didn’t forfeit his responsibility. Thankfully we have another solution in Jesus, who does not treat us the way we deserve. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10).

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

How can people sometimes sacrifice family for work and ministry? How have you done so?
How does God help you reset your priorities?
What can you do differently to honor God in how you treat your family and time?