The Sin of Standing By

Eli was not being judged for sin that he committed, but “for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them” (1 Sam 3:13). This is sin of omission, the failure to do what is right. In this case it is the sin of seeing evil  and doing nothing about it. There are times that we are not able to do anything. Eli was in a position to do something. And we are also often in a position to respond, even if it is simply to speak truth or protest the evil. We are judged with the evil when we know it and do not do what we could do to respond in righteousness.

I just finished watching the movie Valkyrie. It is the story of Germans in WWII who attempted to stop Adolph Hitler. They took great risk, and eventually gave their lives; when they failed, they were executed. Knowing they would likely fail, they said, “We have to show the world that not all of us are like him. Otherwise, this will always be Hitler’s Germany.” Although they failed to stop Hitler, they succeeded in righteousness. They did something. They did not stand by and watch evil.

Genesis 19: Lot the Loser

Lot was a despicable man. When begging the men of Sodom not to ask for his angelic guests, he offered his own virgin daughter for them to have their way! He reasoned that he was responsible for the men since they “have come under the shelter of my roof.” Are his daughters not even more so under the shelter of his roof? What a gross failure to value, love, and protect his daughters. I would hate to think how he cared for them each day if he would do this. It seems that men should fight and sacrifice to protect their women and children.

Then, in the face of grave warnings, Lot lingered in the city. He clearly had allowed his heart to be poisoned by the flesh and sin of the city. He had trouble pulling away. The fact that he dwelt here at all is an obvious statement about his judgment. His wife also had been hooked, evidenced by her disregard for the warning not to look back.

After escaping with only his two daughters, Lot lived in fear. His fear was first revealed when he asked the men not to make him go to the hills. Ultimately, though, fear drove him out of the city to live in a cave. To live in fear is not just cowardly, but a revelation of Lot’s lack of relationship with and trust in the Lord.

The scheming of his daughters, in addition to the heart of his wife, also reveals the quality of Lot and how he had failed to teach them the ways of God and his care for them. The abhorrence of Lot is finally emphasized by the ease with which his daughters were able to get him drunk and sleep with him.

Lot was a selfish, cowardly, irresponsible, foolish, fleshly, gullible, undisciplined man. And although I despise him, I pity him. Most of all, I am shaken by the fact that we all have the capacity to come to such a condition. May I entrust myself to God and obey and trust him. May I bravely teach, care for, and protect my family. May I maintain a heart of purity and a disciplined mind and body. May I be alert to evil, danger, and temptation.