During Abrams time, it was common for wars and rivalries between kings. Most cities had kings during this time and the conquered cities paid tribute to the victorious king. Chedorlaomer was a king and had five cities including Sodom pay tribute to him for twelve years. The five cities he was taking tribute from rebelled on the thirteenth year by refusing to pay, Chedorlaomer reacted quickly and reconquered them all, and when he defeated Sodom he took Lot (Abrams brother) along with his family and all their possessions. Lots desire for the best of everything put him into environments that were full of sin and in turn attracted more sin. His greedy outlook on needing the best put him by a city that he really didn't need to be around, and it led to chaos. One person escaped and told Abram that Lot had been taken as a slave. So Abram and his 318 trained servants went and rescued Lot and his family from Chedorlaomer and got back all of his possessions. Abram showed courage and straight and incredible trust in God when he went to rescue Lot, the odds were against him but he knew God was with him. He was also prepared, his men were already trained and prepared for a moment like this. Abram knew the risk he was taking and knew it would be easier to sit back and not do anything, but he was selfless in his act to help Lot. Lot chose a selfish path filled with material possessions and he may not have deserved the sacrifice by Abram but Abram teaches us that it is not our position to say whether a person is deserving of help or not, if you can help someone you should. Abram had the men and knew they could help, so he didn't hesitate when it came time to help Lot. The king of Sodom went out to meet Abram when he was returning along with the kings who were with him. Melchizedek, king of Salem who was a high priest blessed Abram and gave knowledge to the fact that God delivered Abrams enemies into his hand and gave him a tithe.  But when the king of Sodom tried to give offerings to Abram he refused them, because he didn't want an ungodly king of sin to be able to gloat and tell people that he made Abram rich. Abram wanted all to know that al that he possessed was because of God, and that it all came from and belonged to God, accepting anything from the king of Sodom would have taken away from God and Abram selflessly wanted nothing to do with that. He was fine with the other men taking their portions if they so chose too, but Abram knew where his loyalties stood and knew that God provided him with all he needed and more, leaving no reason to be greedy and take from a king that would discredit all God has done for Abram. It is important that when people look at us they see what God has done for us, not what we have done for ourselves. We should show people that we are blessed by Gods doings, not our own merits.