Genesis 13:2, 5-18 / Matthew 7:6, 12-14
Whenever an opportunity comes, we must be quick to grab it, otherwise it may be gone forever.
But when an opportunity presents itself to more than one person at the same time, then the survival instinct will kick in.
So the one who is smarter and faster and stronger will get it.
In the working world, this instinct can be quite savage.
To pounce on an opportunity to get promoted or to secure a lucrative deal, there can be cutting of corners and kicking and shoving and back-stabbing.
As we hear of the dispute between Abram and Lot in the 1st reading, we could see the character of each of them.
Although Abram was older, he let his nephew Lot, make the choice of the land.
And Lot pounced on the opportunity and took the choice lands.
But because of his generosity and his giving way to Lot, God blessed Abram and his land.
Indeed, to give way to others and to be generous whenever an opportunity arises is indeed difficult because it goes against our instinct.
Yet Jesus tells us in the gospel to take the narrow gate.
Because it is the narrow gate and the hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
May we learn from Abram, our father in faith, to take that narrow gate and hard road and receive God's blessings on us.