Chapter-a-Day Genesis 13

But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.) Genesis 13:6-7 (NLT)

“Hot spot” is the term used to describe an area of international conflict. Those whose business it is to monitor and handle such crises are constantly aware of what is happening in the various hot spots around the globe. Some hot spots rise and fade with changing political, financial or environmental climate, but others are always places of heated conflict.

As I read of the conflict that arose between Abram and Lot in the land of Canaan I was amazed to think that the land over which they fought seems always to have been a hot spot. It is still a hot spot today. One wonders after many millenia of conflict whether it will ever change.

Today I’m thinking about hot spots in our own lives. Conflict in families, between spouses, or neighbors that seem to perpetuate over time. Layer after layer of conflict is laid between two parties until it is virtually impossible to disentangle the layers and find common ground on which to arrive at peaceful resolution. What a reminder of the fallen world in which we live and breath and share our journey. While the hot spots of the international variety are beyond my reach, God’s Message does tell me: Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. I can do that. I can determine how I will handle and respond to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, clients, and strangers I encounter along the way. I can choose my words and determine my attitude and actions so as to diminish and avoid relational hot spots in my own life.