Lot's wife (perception at least)

 This lady has gotten a very bad reputation. 

We think she was worldly, loved the things of Sodom, and turned back to look at the city being destroyed.

Did she have any positive points? 

She travelled with Lot from the time they left with Abram, she as far as we know was a dutiful wife. Faithful. 

Then when they went to Sodom, perhaps at her behest for her family, Lot went there, after all the years on the plains, travelling, she wanted her family to go to the city to live in comfort. Maybe she wanted stability, marriages for her daughters who had no prospects other than employees of Lot or Abraham until they went to Sodom.

Perhaps she was thinking of grandchildren, comfort, legacies, when they went to Sodom. Perhaps she was thinking of culture, and parties, and the companionship of other ladies of equal station at this point.

We know she had several daughters, some were married, 2 were still young and living at home.

When the angels came to Sodom, to get Lot, we know she was there, she probably did the dutiful thing set a table for them, and offered them hospitality.

as far as we know she was a good wife, as far as we know she was a good person.

She gets a lot of grief for the looking back part, but have you ever thought that she had daughters and grandbabies left in Sodom? That she had left family there? Perhaps when she looked back her heart was for her daughters, and their families, not for the sin of the city or the comfort of home. For she had already been a proven traveler, and a nomadic wife.

How many of us in that same situation would turn and look for we had children in danger, we had family losing their lives in that area?

How very often do we look at the people in the bible and say how could they? How did they not hearken to the Word of the Lord? What bad people they must be, we forget they were human like us. They had feelings, temptations, families, extraneous situations, the same as us.

How many times do we do this even today?

I am going to give an example here that happened a week or so ago, not for you to praise me but as an example of how we judge way too fast without trying to figure things out, without empathy, without knowing what caused the problem or situation.

A young lady came into my restaurant with her son, the boy was 3 or 4, and she was upset. She yelled at her son in line, using an expletive.

An employee of mine came to me and said what a parent she must be, and I agreed, again not knowing the full story. Then she went to the dining room, and was apparently on her phone, cussing and complaining loudly. I know this because a customer came to me and complained. I had not heard it for we had a full dining room and were very busy preparing food and tending to the needs of the restaurant.

When the customer complained I had to go out and deal with the situation. She had jumped the line, and a customer (a different one) was being vocal about this situation, and told the young lady to get off her phone and pay attention. She literally screamed at him as I approached. So I informed her we were a family restaurant and she would have to go. I walked her to the front, to get her a refund (she nor her son had ate yet). She is mad at me, and still being loud and rude.

At this point the Spirit was telling me something greater was going on. So I gave her her money back, and then I asked her what kind of pizza her son would eat. She told me she didn't want anything, I persisted, and she finally said cheese, so I looked over to the oven saw one coming out had it boxed and gave it to her.

She was still mad, so I let her know I was trying to help so her son didn't go hungry, for the little guy was as cute as a button, and had no idea why he wasn't going to have pizza. Then I looked at her and said no matter what's going on he needs a mom and he is looking to you for an example.

That did it, she started crying, loudly. Tears flowing, she broke down. of course with a crying lady I did not know, I stood there looking helpless for there was nothing I could do. (and to be frank crying women scare me because I never know how to handle it).

She had had a bad day, and it was just a mess without going into detail. I listened, I gave her the pizza, and I sent here on her way. I took care of the bill after she left from my own pocket (not for my praise mind you but because it was the one thing I could do to help).

Yes her behavior was awful, yes she reacted badly, as did all of us watching the scene unfold, before I listened to the Spirit I too was judging.

2 hours or so later she called me at the restaurant, asked for me by name, (I don't know how she got my name) and fully apologized for her behavior, thanked me for the pizza, the care, and the concern.

She thanked me for looking out for her and her son, (and I felt horrible for I had not had the heart for her at the start of all this that I ended up with.) That what I had seen wasn't who she is.

She was having a bad day, and I made it better for her. Why because after my initial reaction I looked deeper into the situation, saw it from a different perspective, God opened my eyes and allowed me to see something I, in the flesh, wasn't seeing.

And with that phone call she made my day. She took the time to call me and let me know I made a difference and in so doing, made a difference in my day.

How I could have failed her and her son, still has me upset. I was put there for a purpose. And I have prayed for her everyday since.

How often do we so quickly draw a conclusion and react without trying to see their perspective? the things we don't know, the situation outside of the present setting we are in when we gather our opinions, and conjectures.

"Oh Lord, please give us a heart for the Spirit to speak to us that we might see, that we might hear more than just the outward. That we might see the pain, the anguish, the tears brimming just below the surface. Give us a heart Lord for the person, not the attitude or the circumstantials before us."

Lord help us to see and hear the Spirit, help us to see the person not the situation.