Similitudes

 Fools bristle at what they don’t understand. They mock, reject, and denounce what is beyond their ability to process because they would rather do anything than admit ignorance or folly. A fool is wise in his own eyes; as such, everything he does is brilliant and beyond reproach, if only to him. Given the intellectual void that this generation has become, the examples are too many to number, but I’m sure you can think of a few offhand. I’m not referring to the dopey girl at the local gas station that doesn’t know how to make the change from a five-dollar bill on a dollar forty purchase. I’m referring to people with power and elected officials who are in charge of shaping the country’s future.

The rejection of authority is one of the trademarks of those whose hearts have been consumed by darkness and whose consciences have been seared. They never stop to consider that their chosen course leads to death or that their actions are destructive and vain. They want what they want and will go through anyone to get it.

Genesis 19:1-3, “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.”

Even though he had been lured to dwell in Sodom, Lot still had eyes to see when the angels of the Lord stood before him. He recognized them, knew them to be more than what they appeared, and bowed himself with his face to the earth. I doubt he did this with everyone who came into Sodom, but when he saw the angels, he knew them for who they were. The rest of Sodom did not.

Lot also knew the nature of the people of Sodom. He understood that it was a bad idea for these men to spend the night in the town square and so insisted that they enter his house instead. The Word tells us that he pressed them strongly, meaning he wouldn’t take no for an answer no matter how many times the angels begged off his offer.

Some believe that if they can keep the presence of God in their lives hidden from the godless, they will be left alone to live out their lives in solitude and obscurity. Don’t make waves, keep your mouth shut, say nothing when the godless mock and blaspheme your King, and perhaps they’ll give you a pass. Maybe they’ll ignore you or assume you are one of them.

Men come up with quaint, inoffensive, innocuous terms like spiritual, enlightened, or searching rather than boldly declare they are believers, sons, and daughters of the Most High God because they fear what the heathen will say and how he will react. Their default setting is to blend in and not stand out. Lot didn’t want any trouble, so he insisted that the angels of the Lord spend the night in his home.

The hope that no one noticed the two men who entered his home was dashed upon the rocks of Lot’s reality the moment he heard the knock on the door. He knew instantly that though he’d tried to keep well away from any sort of confrontation, he had failed.

The world is always watching, even when you think it isn’t. The godless are keen observers of other men’s lives, and they’ll be the first to point out any inconsistency. They are opportunists, have no scruples, and will readily condemn you for doing something they themselves are doing if it will further their agenda.

Since confrontation could not be avoided, Lot’s next best hope was to negotiate and barter with the godless, which is something you should never do. Some of the things the men of the Bible did throughout their lives are worthy of emulation; others are warnings and examples of what not to do. How do you know which is which? By the resulting consequences of their actions.

Lot tried to placate the mob by calling them his brethren, admonishing them not to do what they planned. When that didn’t work, he tried to barter and got shot down. The angrier the crowd became, the more panicked Lot became, to the point that he offered his daughters to the men to do with as they will. The only thing his attempted bartering did was stir the anger of the Sodomites, and what they said to Lot echoes to this day and is asked of us by the godless the world over.

Genesis 19:9-10, “And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them and shut the door.”

Who are you to judge? Who are you to determine what is moral? Who are you to decide what is sinful? Who are you to define what is right or wrong?

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. Even though he lived in Sodom, Lot still retained enough truth to see the angels of the Lord for who they were and identify what the men of Sodom had planned as wickedness.

If you are a righteous man living among the unrighteous, pretending to be okay with their sinful ways, eventually, there will be something you will witness that will be a bridge too far. When this occurs, and you object, be prepared to be singled out as not being one of them and accused of judging. Pointing out that a house is on fire is not a judgment; it’s an observation. Calling sin what it is, is likewise an observation. The judging thereof is God’s purview, and He will judge all things with His righteous judgment.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.