M-G: 1.12.11 // Mixing, Genesis 14:17

So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

Lot didn’t participate in the deeds of the ungodly in Sodom, but he did position himself there for commercial enterprise. The ungodliness of the city brought agony and oppression to his soul with what he saw and heard among the inhabitants. Evidently, Lot was more interested in making a living off the citizens of Sodom than in sharing his faith. It was just the price of doing business. Unlike his nephew, Abram wanted nothing from the likes of the king of Sodom (Gen 14:23).  

Lot failed to recognize the attempts by God to bring him back to the place of blessing by the chastening of his soul (2 Pet 2:7) and being carted off along with his goods by Chedorlaomer of Edom (Genesis 14:12). After being delivered by his uncle Abram near Damascus, Lot returned to Sodom to live (cf. before Chedorlaomer: Gen 14:12 “dwelt in Sodom” with after Chedorlaomer: Genesis 19:1, “Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom”). Lot’s one and only opportunity to leave the city with his goods intact was squandered. The next time he wouldn’t be so “lucky” (Gen 19:15-16). Something or someone was calling him back there, but it wasn’t God.  

Jesus said that we are in the world but not of the world. If our soul is aching because of a relationship with unbelievers, the so-called price of doing business, we are mixing “in” with “of.” How to keep the “in” with “of” separate requires wisdom from above and that comes from the Bible, our guidebook, and prayer. It is only problematic for us and unpleasing to God when we don’t.  <><