Figuring It Out

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV

Genesis 14 tells us about the battle of the kings; Lot’s capture; and how Abram, with his band of 318 men rescued his nephew from the four kings. Not only did Abram save his nephew and the other captives, but he brought back all of the spoil that had been taken and returned it to its previous owners. In Genesis 14:21, Bera, the king of Sodom offered to let Abram keep all of the stuff that he had brought back, asking only for the people that he had saved. Abram refused, saying, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’…” [Genesis 14:23].

Why wouldn’t Abram take the money; after all, he did go get it, and Bera offered it? Instead, Abram wound up giving 10% of all he had to Melchizedek, king of Salem (Jerusalem) and priest of the most high God.

Sometimes a thing that seems free and easy will cost much more than its face value. Sodom was a notoriously wicked city (Genesis 13:13), and Bera was probably also a wicked king. Bera’s money was tainted and Abram recognized that. He didn’t want any part of that. He did a very good thing for Lot and for Bera, and Abram was happy to leave it at that and walk away.

We would do well to follow Abram’s example and have nothing to do with dirty money. This week Oklahoma voters rejected state question 820, and I am so glad we did. It would have legalized and taxed marijuana. The taxes collected would have been used to support education, but what would be the unintended social costs? The forces of darkness use this common ploy a lot. They used it to pass the Oklahoma lottery and other gambling initiatives. They say that something evil will be used to help pay for something good, while embellishing the pleasures of evil, making empty promises about the good that will come of it, and hiding the ugly side-effects. That doesn’t make evil any less evil. It only taints the good that we are trying to do. We don’t need drug money to fund our schools. We just need to pitch in and fund our schools. Work and pay taxes, volunteer your time, donate your money. That is how we need to support our schools, not with drug money or lottery money, or alcohol money, or smoking money. If good people are going to do good, then let’s just do good, and not try to pay for it by taxing sin and ignoring the misery that it brings.

Abram did something good at a significant personal cost to himself. He did it because it needed to be done. Then he donated a considerable portion of his wealth to another good person doing good work. The thing is, if there is good to do, and we are willing to do it, God will bless our efforts and will bless us while we are doing his will. We don’t need the devil’s help.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 ESV