8Apr2009 Genesis 13:6

6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.
The real issue was that temporary storage units had not been invented yet! If they could have emptied their garages into storage units, they would have been fine. I guess the problem of too much ‘stuff’ is not a new one. Of course this verse is describing Abram & Lot. They are at a turning point. Their herds continue to grow and of course the herds need grazing pasture. If they stay together they have to travel further and further for fresh pasture. I can imagine their conflicts over whose turn it was to get the best pasture this week. Even the closest of friends and relatives need their own space. If you have had relatives live with you for any period of time, you know it can get tiring. You love them, but you still want your own space. Everyone needs some space they can call their own. That might be physical space or emotional space. Part of normal human development is understanding where I stop and the other person starts. Teenage years are about figuring out the shape of the teenage world. They have to discover consequences for their behaviors. They develop their own set of friends and exclude their parents and siblings. This is all normal and healthy. Abram and Lot got to the point where they could not longer stay in the same area. There were simply not enough resources in this desert climate to support both families sufficiently. McDonalds has been masterful at figuring out exactly how close together stores can be in particular locations and still be profitable. I am sure they have worked out the “mouth to store” ratio. Abram and Lot are figuring out the ratio for their own situation and they are going to have to separate or both their families will suffer. But there is more at work than simply herd size. God has a plan for Abram that is separate from His plan for Lot. It takes separation for that plan to develop. What separations need to take place in your life in order for God to fully work in you? Maybe it is a separation from the Xbox or the HGTV.