Losing our Influence Gradually

Genesis 19:12-14

Although many lessons come to us from the story of Lot’s choice and the results that followed, maybe the chief one is that even a good man can so live his life in such a way that he loses the respect of the people around him. One of the saddest verses that we read in the book of Genesis is VERSE 14 that we just read. Lot had made so many compromises in his life that he had given up the ability to be taken seriously when he came up with a spiritual course of action for his family to follow. He was paying the price for getting caught up in worldly things.

Lot’s condition did not come on him suddenly, but took many years and many different factors led to this condition.

One factor was a concern for self. Go back to when Abraham gave Lot the choice of which direction to go. Lot didn’t care about Abraham, but took the easy choice. He may have been much like the rich man that Christ tells us about in Luke 12:18 - 19 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ Just look at how many times we see I or my in these 2 verses. This man had no concern for anyone but himself, and I really wonder if Lot did either.

The person that is wrapped up in themselves will one day find that what they are relying on is not enough. Self-love is a tragedy. Of course we all have to have a certain amount of self-esteem to function, but we don’t need to carry it so far that we become overcome with ourselves and think that we are better than we actually are. When we do this we far too often get to the point that we don’t care about the needs of others around us. All of us know people that need help. Some physically, some financially, many others spiritually. We need to see these needs and be willing to assist these people with their needs in whatever way we can. When we have too much self-love, though, we far too often ignore the needs of others.

Years ago a lady from a Christian home went to college. She had been taught right and wrong and had always lived a pretty good Christian life. During school days, though, she fell in with a group of people that weren’t as dedicated as she was. Soon, her life in Christ was questionable. Many people had doubts about her character. What caused this condition? Companionship with the wrong kind of people.

It is important for us to have Christian friends that live for Jesus. We should want to have friends that will help us to live a better life for Christ.

Just look at Lot. The Bible tells us that he got caught up in the life of Sodom. Peter calls him a just man, but he definitely lost his witness because of who he was hanging around with. Is it still possible today for us to lose our witness? Sure it is. Think about Peter, did he lose his witness? Think about the night Jesus was crucified. What did Peter do? Did he stand up for Jesus when people approached him? Nope, he denied Christ 3 times. Just because we are saved does not mean that we won’t sin. All of us have weaknesses in our lives and weak periods in our lives.

Lot’s downfall wasn’t sudden and immediate, but took time. He stared out moving toward Sodom, then he got closer, and closer, and closer, till eventually, I believe, he was right in the middle of the town. Right in the middle of all the things that were going on. Right in the middle of all the evil and temptations that the people were doing. Oh, he may have not been doing all the things the other people were doing, but he wasn’t telling them that it was wrong, either, so he was just as guilty as they were.

Abraham probably knew many of the things that were going on in and around Sodom. He may have known that Lot and his family might have even been involved in some of them. He bargained with God to save the city, with God finally agreeing that if just 10 just people could be found, the city would be saved. Unfortunately not even 10 could be found. Lot, his wife, his 2 unmarried daughters, and his 2 married daughters and their husbands were all that could be found. Only 8, no converts. His testimony for the Lord was virtually worthless at this time.

Two recorded events show us how low people can sink when they give free reign to personal ambition and lower their moral standards to accommodate the crowd.

First, to protect his angelic guests, Lot offered his single daughters to the crowd. When evil men are dominated by fleshly lusts, no type of reasoning can reach them. A polluted moral atmosphere is dangerous, and Lot had no business being in that environment. Strong faith, on the other hand, teaches a person to do right even in the most difficult of circumstances.

After Sodom was destroyed, another tragedy took place in Lot’s life. His already married daughters and son-in-laws rejected him. His unmarried daughters got him drunk and engaged in various acts with him. The daughters had lost all respect for their father, and even for themselves.

How strong is your influence with your family and friends? When we become concerned for self, hang around with sinners, and compromise with sin, we lose our influence and power. Lot loved worldly things too much, and because of this, he did not realize the spiritual blessings that God had in store for him. We need to guard our lives constantly, keeping an uncompromising faith and watchfulness against things that would destroy our influence.