From Luke 16: 19 “There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. 20 At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 “The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 While being tormented in the place of the dead, he looked up and saw Abraham at a distance with Lazarus at his side. 24 He shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I'm suffering in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things, whereas Lazarus received terrible things. Now Lazarus is being comforted and you are in great pain. 26 Moreover, a great crevasse has been fixed between us and you. Those who wish to cross over from here to you cannot. Neither can anyone cross from there to us.' 27 "The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father's house. 28 I have five brothers. He needs to warn them so that they don't come to this place of agony.' 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. They must listen to them.' 30 The rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will change their hearts and lives.' 31 Abraham said, ‘If they don't listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'" (Common English Bible)
Believe it or not, as a little boy in church, I would pay attention to most sermons and certainly to all that was taught in Sunday school. This was one of the stories that always grabbed my attention. As a boy I could not understand how a man with so much would turn his attention away from such a poor, suffering man. And the suffering of the man always disgusted me. He was hungry and he was covered with sores. As one who played in Kingsville dirt all the time I knew all about sores and hated to get them. I could only imagine being so weak that one could not move away from dogs that would come to lick the sores. The poor man, named Lazarus, had the desire to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, but never did. We don't know the exact cause of death, but he did die and as Jesus told the story, "was carried by angels to Abraham's side." (v. 22). The story also has the rich man dying "and was buried." His afterlife was not so pleasant. While alive he chose to ignore God's commandments to help and love one another. He lived a life of preference, so in death he was separated from God and "tormented in the place of the dead (Hades)." To make matters worse he had a window into heaven where he saw Lazarus seated next to Abraham. He shouts to Abraham, "Have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger and water and cool my tongue, because I'm suffering in this flame." How things reversed; the irony of eternity. He, who once had everything, including disgust for the man covered in sores and who, I believe, would never want to be touched by him because of his disease, now begs to have the finger of the diseased man dipped in water and placed on his tongue to relieve his suffering. Too late, he's told, and it's too far from there to here. There's no crossing from there to here and from here to there. The man then begs for Lazarus, who was probably the subject of jest and ridicule between this rich man and his family, to go back and warn his family so they could change and not end up in the same place. Abraham replies, "They have Moses and the Prophets. They must listen to them." In other words, they should pay attention to what God has already shared in Holy Scripture. The rich man knows his family and says, "No, Father Abraham! But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will change their hearts and lives." Abraham knows the truth and says, "If they don't listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead."
How are we making our lives count right now? Are we living a life of love and care for others, especially those who repulse us, or are we set on pleasing only ourselves and living a life of preference? The Word is clear on how we should live, as people of purpose, seeking to fulfill all that Moses, the Prophets, and Jesus shared. In other words, as we read our Bibles are we paying attention to what is shared there for our good and the good of all God's people?
PRAYER: Loving God, let my life count as one seeking Your purpose here on the earth. May I set an example for others in showing care and love for all. Forgive me those times of preference where I placed myself and my needs over those of Yours. This I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
