I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’

Genesis 14:23

Abraham had gone to war with his armed trained servants to rescue Lot, the women of Sodom and all the material possessions that the soldiers of Chedorlaomer carried away. At the end of the successful rescue operation, the king of Sodom, in gratitude for what Abram had done, desired that Abram take the recovered material possessions.

It was customary to reward the soldiers who went on an expedition and came home victorious. The bounties were shared, and every king returned home with some measure of the goods.

In this case, however, Abram would not take even the smallest of the goods. He resolved to leave everything for the king of Sodom except the portion that was due to his trained servants. His reason was simple, he doesn’t want the king of Sodom to think and discuss with others how he made Abram rich.

Although that attitude would still be false and countered by people who were privy to the events that took place, Abram preferred not to risk it. Abram was already comfortable with the wealth he had, although more goods would have meant more riches at his disposal. Abram demonstrated selflessness and foresight.

As humans, one of the shortest paths to success is through the right relationships and help that comes from them. I have seen and read of people whose lives changed because they met people willing to invest in them.

However, care must be taken when asking for help. Some people should not contribute their financial resources to yours as their riches may be ill-gotten. Such connections should be avoided as they corrupt the godly seed you are about to sow.

There are others whose intentions may not be easily understood but will wreck your life in the long run. Discernment is necessary when asking for help, else someone would say that without him you wouldn’t have become anything in life.