Our Gospel (Luke 16:19-31) is another tough one for me. In the past I use to read these parables and stories and thing they were so clear and obvious, but didn't see myself in them. I use to think the people in them were clearly clueless or even bad. The more I grow in my relationship with Christ, the more He continues to reveal to me about my heart. I don't think I am totally clueless or a bad person, but I have way more in common with those I read about than I wanted to realize or admit.
Today we read about a rich man who basically turns his back on Lazarus, a poor man outside his door. Lazarus was starving and covered in sores and the rich man was totally indifferent to him.
When both men die, the rich man is buried and goes to hell while Lazarus is taken up to heaven and held tightly in Abraham's bosom. The rich man is able to see Lazarus free from the torment he was facing. He was able to see Lazarus healed and comfortable. He begged for Lazarus to come down and dip his finger in cool water to place on the right man's tongue to provide some relief.
The rich man knows his family is doomed to the same fate and begs for Lazarus to go warn them. He is told that they have had all the warnings they need from Moses and the Prophets. The need to listen to them.
The rich man insists that if they were warned by someone from the dead they would believe differently, but is told that if they aren't listening to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen to someone from the dead either.
Do you see yourself in the rich man at all? If not, I urge you to dig deeper. How many times have you walked out of a fancy coffee shop or restaurant and walked right past someone begging for food? How many times do we not want to help someone out when we are all cozied up in the comfort of our home and it would be an inconvenience to leave the house? How many times to we drive right past someone who is broken down on the side of the road?
The rich man thinks that his family will change if they are warned, but haven't we all be warned over and over and over again? Didn't Jesus tell us over and over and then die and come back to continue to tell us over and over?
How we treat people matters. Our heart matters. We must learn from the past. We must learn from those who went before us! We know what the consequences of our actions are going to be, but they feel so far away that we often just don't care! We must learn our lesson before it is too late!
I like comfort, but I would much rather live in the comfort of eternity and suffer a bit here in this life than suffer the way the rich man did when he died. I would much rather sacrifice now for the greatest of rewards later!
Are you trying to store up treasure here in this life? Where is your focus and heart?
On the flip side, if you are suffering and going through trials in this life, know that you will be rewarded if you place your hope in Christ!
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