"And the Lord said, "Then, for the sake of the ten, I will not destroy it. The Lord went on his way when he had finished his conversation with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his tent."
I was part of a negotiations recently where both sides of the table tried to act that they were on equal footing. The truth of the matter is that someone is always lesser than the other side and it's important to know who is who, and most importantly to know which party you are. If the other side is the strong side of the negotiations and we try and play on the same plane we run the risk of being seen as disrespectful. If it is the other way around and we don't understand that we are the stronger player and miss this then we can come across as arrogant or overbearing. A great deal is one where both sides feel like there is a win and that starts with knowing and appreciating each other. Knowing where we each stand is an important part of that process.
When Abraham negotiated with the Lord about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he did out of the greatest respect and humility. Abraham certainly knew where he stood in relation to God. Abraham had no power or leverage. All he could do was reach to the Lord for an understanding and appreciation of his request. Many times in Genesis Chapter 18 we read that Abraham requested the Lord to make concessions but not before each time he spoke he would humble himself before the Lord. It's worth reading the Chapter to understand the example that Abraham is giving us. To reach someone else for what we need, we should humble ourselves to them so they will listen and appreciate what we are requesting. Consider today how much can be gained by taking this approach.
Reference: Genesis Chapter 18
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