“Escape for thy life! Do not look behind you.” This was the charge given to Lot and his family as they departed from Sodom and Gomorrah.
Lot was Abraham’s nephew and he went to live in Sodom and Gomorrah after parting from Abraham. Unfortunately, the men of Sodom were wicked and God chose to destroy the city. However, because of Abraham, He spared the life of Lot. The angels sent to destroy the city were instructed to first remove Lot and his family. Sadly though, Lot could not depart with all his family members, he had daughters who were married to men of Sodom and their husbands did not believe Lot when he told them the land was about to be destroyed therefore they remained and Lot left with his wife and two unmarried daughters. Although they were given a clear instruction not to look back as they departed, Lot’s wife disobeyed this instruction and became a pillar of salt.
Several things can be learnt from Lot’s wife and her destruction. Firstly, whenever we look back we become rooted to the spot and unable to move. Stagnation and lack of progress become the order of the day each time we look behind us because no one goes forward looking backwards. Every time you turn to look at where you are coming from, you are rooted to the spot and not making progress. This applies also to those who ‘sit on their laurels’, and glory in their accomplishments. When they do this, they are looking behind, at past events and therefore rooted to the spot and not moving forward or making progress.
Secondly, in the journey of life, ultimately we travel alone. We may come from large families, and have plenty of children, and lots of friends but ultimately we travel alone. People will enter and exit our lives but they will not travel with us, this is painful but true. Lot’s wife did not understand this and was obviously weighed down by the thought of her family members left behind in Sodom and unable to make the trip. Therefore, when the sound of destruction reached her ears she forgot the command and turned towards Sodom where her heart was with the loved ones she left physically but not emotionally and she was destroyed.
Thirdly, we must be prepared to embrace change when it comes, or risk destruction. Change sometimes happens suddenly as it did for Lot and his family. Lot’s wife did not welcome the sudden departure from Sodom which left her no time to kiss her friends and loved ones goodbye. She was ushered out of the city without any time to emotionally and mentally separate herself from it. As a result, she turned back to her detriment.
Finally, we must be ready to step out of our comfort zone, out of what is familiar to us and reach for that which is unfamiliar but necessary for our preservation and growth. Sodom and Gomorrah represented a comfort zone for Lot’s wife but it also represented destruction. She was at home there, she and her family had embraced the culture of the people and this is evident because her daughters were married to men of Sodom. Suddenly, she was thrust out of the land, out of her comfort zone, out of that which was familiar to her. She had no idea what the future held and what to expect and because she was unsure of the future she turned to the past to her undoing.
Sometimes we must step out of our comfort zone especially if it has become a place of limitation and destruction and move towards a future unknown, but, it is not a reason to return to that which we have left. Therefore, my closing charge to you is this; whatever you do from this point onward, don’t look back.
