There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.  Even the dogs came and licked his sores.  The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.  The rich man also died and was buried.  In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  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.’  Luke 16:19-24

Lazarus lay at the gate in full view. He was not hidden. His sores were visible and dogs came to lick them. His hunger was also obvious. His weakness was impossible to miss. People walked by him, heard him, saw him, and kept going. That is part of what makes this story so sharp: suffering sat at the front door, and no one bent down.

The rich man saw Lazarus every day. He moved between purple linen, good food, and comfort, while Lazarus longed for crumbs. It would have cost him almost nothing to help. A little food. A little kindness. One small act of mercy. But his heart had grown insulated. Purple linen never touched the rags of the beggar.  He had everything, yet somehow had no room for compassion.

Then death reversed the whole picture.

Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man lifted up his eyes in torment. The one who had begged for crumbs was now comforted. The one who had refused mercy was now begging for a drop of water. Just a drop. But Lazarus could not help him. This was eternity, and God’s judgment was final.

This story is not mainly about money. It is about the heart. God is not impressed by what I own, nor does He overlook what I ignore. He watches how I respond to the suffering placed near me. He sees whether my heart is soft, whether mercy moves me, whether I can still be interrupted by another person’s pain.

Life has many seasons.  I may be the beggar.  I may also be the rich man.  As a beggar, there is grace for every need, no matter who denies me.  As a rich man, I follow Christ, who showed me how to be a servant by laying aside his royal robes to walk the path of humility.

Jesus, I align my perspectives.  Amen