Sunday, April 14, 2019

our obligation


Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Luke 16:19-17:10. Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus.

And you might notice... it's the RICH MAN and Lazarus. Not the greedy man, the selfish man, or the uncaring man. The man goes to torment simply, according to the story, because he was wealthy. In fact, Jesus makes this very point when He says, "In his lifetime, he had everything he wanted. So now he is in torment." Kind of eye opening, isn't it?

Just to be clear, this doesn't mean that money is evil. It doesn't mean that having money is wrong. It means that we who HAVE lots of things also have a big responsibility: to help those who do not have. And if you are thinking to yourself, "This just means rich people, like Bill Gates and Elon Musk", it's important for you to realize that if you're reading this, you're one of the wealthiest people in the world. Why? Because you (probably) live in the US, which has a higher standard of living than more of the rest of the world. In fact, it's likely that you are among the top 1% most wealthy people in the world. Don't believe it? Check this out.

So please be generous. At the VERY LEAST, pray for those in need. Your prayers will work wonders. But also give. Give of your time, your money, and your energy. Give to those who need it.

The life you save may just be your own.

God, thanks for giving us so much wealth... please help us use it wisely.

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