Genesis 13:7-9 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
God had blessed Abram, and Lot. for he was with him. Verse 6 says,”Their substance was great.” The grace of God was with Abram, and He blessed him with and abundance. They had so much substance that the land was not able to bear them, so that they could not live together. Strife arose between the two households. Riches does not bring happiness and contentment, as the false promises of the world would tell us. (Peace with God does.)
The Lord had blessed Abram and Lot and and all their hired hands. Sinners, being sinners, respond to God’s grace and blessing by fighting and quarreling with one another, even (or maybe especially) within families. One self comes into conflict with another self in any human grouping. Sinners have a hard time defusing strife and conflict by giving, sharing, and sacrificing for others.
Abram responds to the strife by trying to be a peacemaker, since he has peace with God because he believes God. His offer is selfless, giving Lot the right to choose first which way to go, right or left. (As it turned out, Lot was tempted by the pleasures of the world and made a bad choice, ending up in the midst of the godlessness of Sodom.)
When God graciously grants material substance we may respond with peace in place of strife, with giving in place of taking, with thanks in place of complaining. Faith in Christ makes life better. Striving makes life bitter.