Luke 16:19-31
Rich Man, Poor Man
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 26:11
The Poor Will Always Be With You
11The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.
Luke 18:13
Have Mercy On Me
31"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
Jesus sees all things...He sees us the way we are...He knows all things...Jesus teaches us that there is no difference in a rich man's or a poor man's soul...All souls are important to Him...Our souls are all equal to Him...
I sometimes think, as I reread this parable, that Jesus wants us to think about the Lazarus' in our lives...We are all equal on earth, but sometimes, we do not show it...If someone wears clothes not as nice as the one's we wear, do we feel different about them?...If someone drives a lesser car (smaller, less expensive, dirtier, more scratches) than ours, do we feel different about them?...If someone has a lesser home or different neighborhood than ours, do we feel different about them?...Even if someone is just different than us, do I feel different about them?...Different is the word I use on how the rich man felt about Lazarus...He felt something was different about Lazarus, and did not see him as an equal...Some even interpret this parable, as even in hell, the rich man wants Lazarus to come and assist him -to be his servant...The two still are not equals...Even in his torment and after his death, he cannot see all of our souls are equal...The rich man still feels after his death, that something is different about Lazarus, and that he is above Lazarus...
Jesus is the Perfect Man...He saw and sees, we will always have the poor...Jesus sees through our material things, and sees us for who we are...There will always be Lazarus' in our lives...We can feel differently about our neighbors...We can avoid them like the rich man did Lazarus...Jesus teaches us, we avoid our neighbors at our own risk...Jesus wants us to be aware of those around us...We should see that there are those who suffer, those who are down in their lives, those that are in need of a helping word, or a helping hand...We sometimes are better off than our some of our neighbors...Sometimes, I think, I am like the rich man who sees through these things (without seeing), and walks past the gate quickly, so I can get on with things in my life...I briefly think that He does not know and realize what is going on in my mind, my thoughts, and my life...And then I realize, He sees all things and that He knows all things...I feel close to the tax collector looking up and praying to my Father, "Have mercy on me LORD, I am a sinner"...He alone, gives me hope...