Sodom's Real Sin

Ask anyone what the sin of Sodom was and they'll tell you it was lewd sexuality. Seems to make sense, considering the context of the story, but that really wasn't the central issue. The Lord saw it a little differently:

"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."  Ezekiel 16:49

I don't remember the first time I read that but I remember the impact it had. It made me think: when a society forgets the poor and needy they do so because they're self-absorbed, focused on their own needs alone and have no care for others. As James so pointedly states:

"For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." James 3:16

The social disorder and evil practice of Sodom were the direct result of envy and selfish ambition. This is what destroyed Rome and this is what will destroy any nation, society or civilization.

There is no doubt that we are a giving people. And there is no doubt that when disaster strikes we are there to lend a hand in any way necessary. At the same time we have become a nation that increasingly expects government to bear the load of the elderly and infirmed, the widow and the orphan. We expect the government to provide for our health and well-being. We expect the government to keep us from all harm, both foreign and domestic. We expect the government to make decisions for us concerning our safety, even accepting a ban on normal, everyday light bulbs.

God, though, expects each one of us to be self-governing. The highest and most effective form of government is self-government. Self-government also includes looking out for the best interest of others, beginning with our families, friends and neighbors. Jesus told us to love God, and to love our fellow man just as we love ourselves. If we see our neighbor in need, and we have the means to meet the need, we are to meet the need and not even let our left hand know what our right hand is doing. James said:

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  James 1:27

I find it fascinating that he combines caring for others with keeping ourselves pure from the pollution of the world. When we become unaware of the needs around us we are self-abosrbed and blind. This type of blindness destroys nations.

Peter teaches us how to keep from being so blind. He explains this fully in his second letter:

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  2 Peter 1:5-11

The progression Peter mentions goes from dealing with issues of self to dealing with the needs of others. This is the blueprint for Christian maturity. We are to go from dealing with our own needs to loving others the way God loves them. As we do we change from self-absorbed creatures to loving others as God-fearing children of God. We become confident that God will meet our needs so we are free to see the needs of others and help to meet those needs.

The sin of Sodom was being so depraved and self-absorbed that the needs of the weak and helpless were ignored. God held them accountable for this and holds us accountable as well. Ask God to help you become a person so assured by God's presence and ever-present help in your own life that you are released to see the ever-present needs of others.