The Transforming Power of Faith

UV 1370/10,000 The Tranforming Power of Faith
That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

Genesis 14 v 23
Abram depended on the Lord to whom he had raised his hands in supplication. He refused to be in obligation to any man like the king of Sodom who offered to share some spoils of raids they had jointly conducted against some common enemies. He did not want the king of Sodom to claim that he had made Abram rich. It was God who had blessed Abram which means “father” and transformed him into being the “Father of faith” and the father of many nations.

Abram limited his association with the king of Sodom. He did not want to be unequally yoked with the latter. He did not want him to gloat over the idea that he was the one who blessed Abram. The Lord does not want us to be obligated to even our kith and kin. He might allow partnerships or strategic alliances for a purpose and up to a point. Abram clearly recognized that it was God who had given him victory over his foes. He was not covetous and did not want that which belonged to another. He could have seen the offer by the king of Sodom as an opportunity to get just a little richer than he was. But Abram was wary of the king of Sodom knowing the values the latter possessed and the kind of lifestyle that the people of Sodom practiced. He wanted little or nothing to do with the king of Sodom. He valued the people who followed him more than the valuables that they brought as plunder or spoils of victory. He asked the king of Sodom to release the people to him and to keep the things. He also was practical that he would accept any payment only to the extent that it met the needs of these persons in terms of what they had eaten during the military campaign.

Abraham’s faith was outstanding. He did not allow anything to defile the purity of his faith and his relationship with the Most High God. He did not place his faith on his earthly allies. He gave what was due to others and never kept it for himself proving his honesty and integrity. He knew God. He believed Him and understood Him. His faith was the source of his strength and his success. God blesses us measure by measure as we trust and depend on Him entirely. He never betrays our trust. He is pleased when we do not compromise with the world and maintain high standards worthy of Him. He will reward us abundantly in the course of our lives if we prove by our actions and reactions the extent of our faith in Him. A business offer might look very tempting but we need to check the background of the one who is offering it and ensure it is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord.
Prateep V Philip