Men in the Bible: An Impetuous and Impudent Man - Lessons on character flaws from Abraham’s nephew
So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere… like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. – Genesis 13:8-11
We are still exploring the character of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Yesterday, we saw him as an example of someone not worthy of emulation, because although he was wealthy, he was unwise; he was rich yet dumb. Today, we will also highlight some other sides of his character flaws. He can also, at best, be described as impetuous and impudent.
From our reference passage today, we can see that even when Abraham took the initiative of brokering peace to Lot, a move that he Lot should have taken in the first place, by suggesting that Lot should choose where he would prefer to stay so that he, Abraham, could head in the opposite direction of that for the sake of peace. A wiser and reasonable person in the same position as Lot would have first apologized to his uncle and benefactor about the behavior of his herdsmen. Then he would have protested that the uncle should be the first to choose where he would rather stay.
But not Lot.
On the contrary, Abraham had barely finished his invitation for Lot to choose first before he eagerly looked around and impetuously picked his choice of location, leaving his uncle to settle for the second best. Why the second best? Consider that in making his choice, Lot looked very well and appraised the two options presented by Abraham. The Bible says he “lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan” (Genesis 13:10-11).
This means that he chose the best parts of the land for himself without much thought about whether his uncle would also prefer the same place. That was the height of impudence.
Therefore, in one single decision or action, Lot revealed how impetuous and impudent a person he was through his disregard for his aged uncle, foster father, and benefactor, by choosing first ahead of him. Then, by choosing the better portion of the land for himself without thinking if his uncle, who obviously had more livestock than he did, might actually want the place for himself. In such a way, we should never behave.
Men in the Bible: Abraham’s Earnestness and Extraordinary Hospitality
Discover how Abraham’s heartfelt and proactive hospitality sets a timeless example for serving guests with excellence.
Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.” So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. – Genesis 18:1-8
From the passage above, Abraham demonstrated to us through his earnestness how to be an extraordinary host. He was such a good example of hospitality.
When Abraham saw God and the angels with Him afar off, he wasted no time in running to them to worship and invite them to come and be entertained in his tent. He was so persuasive that his potential guests had little resistance to accepting his invitation. So they obliged him.
See what followed next:
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
If this is not extraordinary hospitality, then nothing is. Recall Abraham was a 99-year-old man at this time. Although his guests were ageless, and we cannot compare their ages to Abraham’s, the fact that at age 99, he put on this earnest show of hospitality was impressive. He hurried, rallied his wife, ran, prepared a meal, served, and waited upon his guests all in one fell swoop. And he was a 99-year-old man doing all of this because VIPs were visiting his abode.
With this, Abraham provided us with a template for being an extraordinary host. He did not settle for less. He did not just bark orders at his wife and servants to prepare the food. He was with them in the preparation, skedaddling, and at his mobilization best. His own earnestness must have convinced members of his household that these were no ordinary guests. Also, he must have shown them by his own earnestness the importance of his guests and how those of his household must also comport themselves in attending to their needs.
God Himself was so impressed with Abraham’s attitude that He decided to answer his long-drawn prayer for a child there and then. Surely, we can learn from him.
Men in the Bible: Abraham and White Lies Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe…
Men in the Bible: Abraham and White Lies
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels. – Genesis 12:10-16
Another standout attribute of Abraham’s, which we can unlearn, is his penchant for lying to gain access and favor. Abraham had a propensity for telling white lies as a way of self-preservation.
From the passage above, we can see how he prevailed on his wife to lie about her relationship to him, claiming that she was his sister, in order for them to gain access to and be welcomed in Egypt. After deciding to vacate Canaan, due to the famine ravaging the land, Abraham set his eyes on Egypt, but there was a problem; he sensed that the Egyptians might not be receptive to them once they learn that Sarah was his wife. So, in order to facilitate their being received while also saving his own life, he decided to doctor the identity of his wife by claiming she was his sister.
This initially worked as planned, as the Egyptians were warm towards the couple and even lavished Abraham with many gifts as Pharaoh started to warm up to the idea of taking Sarah as his own wife, by making her supposed brother happy. Abraham must have been delighted at his newfound fortune and favor in Egypt, even though he might have had remorse at having to live without his dear wife. But at least their plan worked out, and the white lie they said was well received. Not until the consequences of what the lie led to broke out.
But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had. – Genesis 12:17-16
God visited Pharaoh and his household with great plagues for taking Abraham’s wife, even when Pharaoh was not aware she was already married. God was not interested in that. He only reacted to the fundamental that was breached by Pharaoh by afflicting him severely. Not just him, but his entire household as well. So, what was to be an innocent lie and a saving grace to help someone stay safe or alive proved to be a disaster for another person, and even more people to boot.
Therefore, while Abraham’s lie about his wife’s identity earned him a temporary respite and assets in Egypt, that did not last long. Upon discovering the cause of his recent problems, Pharaoh, who was still smarting from all the afflictions that God had piled on him and his household, no longer wanted Abraham and his wife around. So he ordered that they be banished from Egypt immediately.
Men in the Bible: The Man that Found Grace in the Eyes of God But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. – Genesis 6:8 The bible personality…
Lessons from a Man Who Found Unusual Grace in God’s Eyes
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. – Genesis 6:8
The bible personality of our spotlight today is Noah, a man said to have found grace in the eyes of God. This appendage to the name of Noah was interesting because, until that time, no one had been so described before. So, it makes one curious to know what he did to have impressed God to the point of hitting grace, the ultimate divine endowment.
Verses prior to and after our reference passage provide us with a rich context of what made God enamored with Noah so. Verses 5-7 of Genesis 6 paint a grim picture of the sociocultural milieu that Noah lived in: ‘Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”’
Reading further down in verses 11-12, the picture was even grimmer: ‘The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.’
This was the reality of Noah’s time. that was the order of the day in the society he had to live in. However, to his credit, Noah was rather different from the lot of the people. Whereas everyone else was corrupt, vile, evil and wicked, he made a different choice, Whereas he was surrounded by vices, he chose to be virtuous. While his friends and relatives thrived on sin, Noah chose the path of righteousness. When everyone else was scheming and taking advantage of each other or the system, Noah was upright and sincere in his own dealings. Little wonder he found grace in the eyes of God. It was so easy to stand out as the shining light in the midst of the pervasive darkness that defined the time.
The Bible describes him as a ‘just man, perfect in his generations’ and someone who ‘walked with God.’ That was the testimony of Noah, which made him a darling to God and His favorite person at that time.
We often hear various admonitions to ‘dare to be different,’ particularly in relation to a good cause. However, as popular as the saying is, and as fluid as it may sound, it is not an easy thing to do. Conformity is far easier and fancier to do than being different from everyone else.
Even the best of us will admit the pressure that choosing a different route brings. Not to mention that the best of us may also be among those mounting pressure on us to conform and do what everyone else is doing, as long as that is okay and does not hurt anyone or violate any fundamentals. And here lies the danger of conformity. It is not everything we are pressured to conform to that is evil or bad in itself. However, that something is okay does not make it expedient for everyone to do.
Noah was different in his days. He was noble, righteous, pure and godly in the midst of a perverse and wicked generation, not minding the pressures he must have contended with daily to let down his guard and be like everyone else. He did not, and that was why he found grace in the eyes of God.
Another lesson we can learn from God is His disposition to a balancing act. He is not a God of extremes. Even though some who profess to follow Him go to extremes in His name or make extreme claims on His behalf, extreme is not a label that one can pin on God. He balances the acts.
Understanding God: He is Not Moved by Sentiments
Another lesson we can learn from the personality of God is that sentiments do not move Him. Therefore, He cannot be deceived into making a wrong judgment or call, as humans tend to do.
Understanding God: He is A Creator
He is a Creator. This is not to be interpreted loosely, particularly in the light of our contemporary use of the word. God is the ultimate Creator, as He created all things, even the ends of the earth (Isaiah 40:28).
Understanding God: God of the Beginning
There is no better way to begin this journey of exploring the people and entities in the Bible than to start with God. He is not just the beginning but is the origin of all things.
Women in the Bible: A Paragon of Beauty
What made Sarah’s beauty so compelling that kings and nations took notice? Explore the deeper layers of grace, favour, and mystery surrounding one of Scripture’s most unforgettable women — and discover why her story still provokes wonder today.
Men in the Bible: A Man of Ambition and Adventure
Terah may not have reached Canaan, but his courage to start a life-changing journey laid the foundation for Abraham’s destiny. Discover how ambition and bold steps mark a life of significance.
Men in the Bible: An Impetuous and Impudent Man
A revealing glimpse into a man whose choices exposed deeper issues of character, showing how hastiness and entitlement can quietly shape a destiny, and why his story still speaks to us today.
Men in the Bible: A Man with Little Foresight
Sometimes what looks like a smart choice can hide the seed of a mistake. This reflection from Scripture invites us to think again about how foresight — or the lack of it — shapes a man’s story.
Men in the Bible: The First Man to Tithe
Before laws, temples, or traditions, one man honoured God with his substance. Abraham’s tithe was not commanded, demanded, or enforced. It flowed from reverence.
Fathers in the Bible: A Destiny-Shaping Father
What makes a man a truly aware father? Discover how one man’s prophetic foresight shaped his son’s destiny and changed generations forever.
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