Verses 1-3
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Even though God had already declared Abram righteous because of his faith, he still had weaknesses, while his faith was growing.
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This reminds us that, even though we're saved by our faith, we still make mistakes while we are growing. As your faith grows, so will your obedience. And as your obedience grows, so will your faith. Just keep making progress!
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Secondly, in this moment of weakness, Abram did something that even Adam did, before he sinned. After Adam sinned, God said to him, “...You have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it' ” (Genesis 3:17). Abram also listened to his wife when she suggested that he do something that was unfaithful to God.
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This reminds us that even our closest and most trusted people can be used to lead us astray; so do not trust every word just because it comes from a trusted person. Anyone can be deceived.
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Always look for what the Word says, first, and do not receive a word of counsel from someone if it does not agree with the Word.
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Verses 4-16
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Verse 5. Even though Abram was responsible for acting on it, Sarai was responsible for giving Abram bad advice. This situation led to conflict between Sarai and Hagar, and Sarai tried to blame Abram.
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Remember that it is sin to share information with someone that influences them to sin (Malachi 2:8 ESV).
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Take responsibility for your actions and do not blame others.
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Verses 8-10. In order for Hagar to do well, she needed to obey Sarai and not despise her. Hagar made it worse for herself by disrespecting Sarai.
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Even if your authorities (your boss, parents, husband) are harsh or difficult, you will only make it worse for yourself, while you are under them, if you resist and disrespect them. It will always be better for you to be respectful and obedient (Romans 13:3, Ephesians 6:3).
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In the same way, if we want to do well on our own, we first need to learn to be obedient to the authority in our lives—parents, bosses, etc. (Titus 2:9). If you want to please God and be obedient to God, it starts with being respectful and obedient to the human authorities in your life (Romans 13:2). Obey your authorities.
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