Luke 16:19-31
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Matthew 6:19-21
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Jesus' family was poor, and so He grew up poor in Nazareth...He and His family had little money growing up and He had little wealth His entire life...He really never wanted money...So we know He experienced what it was to feel poor and oppressed and to be in poverty...When one is poor and oppressed, they most likely feel they have little control or power over different life situations and different things in their lives...But Jesus never let being poor and oppressed bother Him...In fact, as one reads the gospels, I do not give a lot of thought to Jesus growing up poor...He was in a loving family and His being poor was just what God allowed to happen in His life and His family’s life...But we know that Jesus knew what it felt like to be poor, especially since He grew up poor...Since He and His family were poor, most likely those He knew and grew up around were also poor...Living and being poor often affects one's relationships. ..
Jesus recognized the difference between the poor and the rich...He saw how the wealthy could often and easily overlook the poor...Wealthy people could walk right past the poor and think little or nothing about it...People in poverty trust different things than people with wealth (and what they trust)...And Jesus went out looking for poverty, the poor, and people in need...That is who He was and who He is...The poor people who followed Jesus never had any confrontational relationships with Him...But those who thought they had power or perceived they had power like the Pharisees, the Sanhedrin, the High Priest sometimes had confrontations with Him...And what He told these people of power or position was His point of view which happened to be the Truth and the Absolute Truth...
It is not that Jesus does not LOVE both the poor and the wealthy, He does LOVE both parties...It is He truly knows what the treasures are on earth and what the treasures are of the entire universe, because He knows what it is to be poor and in poverty and still be completely satisfied...Completely knowing God and being human, He knows that being with the poor and being with the wealthy is both being with people...And all people need His salvation...However, to sit down and converse and eat with the poor and to sit down and eat with the wealthy is much different...Think about sitting down and having a meal with a homeless person...The poor see this as you trusting them...They may see it as you helping them...For the poor it is a more touching of the heart, while you eat...While the wealthy might see this more as just sitting down for a meal and talking...