A very short reflection on a very cool scripture
Abram and the King of Sodom
The Bible is full of genuinely cold dialogue. By that, I mean great lines which cut to the bone. One of my favorites is in Genesis 14, after Abram gathers men, defeats the army of the four kings, reclaims the loot they stole from Sodom and Gomorrah, and rescues his nephew Lot. Abram pays tribute to the mysterious king of Salem, Melchizedek. Then the king of Sodom tries to flex his lordship by offering the spoils to Abram as reward for returning Sodom's people. He offers something to Abram which he, the king of Sodom, lost possession of and which Abram won in battle and actually possesses when the offer is made, which is a weird flex in the first place. Abram's response in verses 22-24 is absolutely cold as ice:
"I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you do not say, 'I have made Abram rich."
God, the Possessor of all, gives as he sees fit. His blessings, his gifts are best received by gracious hearts. There are people who ought to have no part in our flourishing, lest they believe they blessed us, they made our way. Better to have nothing than to flourish in cooperation with such evil. Abram made himself clear, nothing comes from the king of Sodom. Not a single thread from a single thong from a single sandal. He takes only the food he ate while rescuing his nephew. When Abram prospers, the king of Sodom owns no part of that success.