There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus…who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table;” vss. 19-21
Luke 16:19-26
It’s hard to miss the point of Jesus’ parable about the rich man and Lazarus. The contrast is striking. It seems the two men knew each other–at least they were neighbors. The rich man dressed in the finest clothes and feasted sumptuously every day. Lazarus was clothed in rags and competed with dogs for leftovers from the rich man’s table. And then in death their positions were reversed. Lazarus was comforted by Abraham while the rich man was tormented in the flames. Nothing is said about the morality of either, but we can infer that there’s a warm spot in God’s heart for the poor. And it isn’t just because the rich man was wealthy that he ended up in torment, it’s because he was aware of Lazarus’ situation and chose to do nothing. And really that’s how it continues to be for the wealthy. It’s not that they shouldn’t have large amounts of money–riches come to us in a variety of ways and many times they are earned. But when there is suffering involved, and people are chronically hungry or living in substandard housing, while the wealthy do little or nothing to help, justice itself becomes perverted. And that’s an affront to Christ!
Thought for the Day: How did I become rich?
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