The foolish rich and powerful

1.04 LK 16:19.26

“There was a certain rich man,” Jesus said, “who was always well dressed and lived each day in merriment and luxury. There was also a poor and sick beggar named Lazarus who used to be brought to the rich man’s door. As he lay there longing for the leftover scraps from the man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. Finally, the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham in the place of the righteous dead. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to hell. There, in anguish, he saw Lazarus in the distance with Abraham.

“‘Father Abraham,’ he shouted, ‘pity me! Send Lazarus over here if only to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for these flames are scorching me.’

“But Abraham said to him. ‘My son, remember when you were still on earth, you had everything you wanted and Lazarus had nothing. So now, he is here being comforted and you are tormented. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us and anyone who would want to come to you from here won’t be able to do so; nor can anyone from your place cross over to us.’”

In the world, people admire and envy the rich and powerful. Why not? They live in magnificent palaces and mansions. They travel everywhere in chauffeur-driven late-model limousines. They fly their own private jet planes and helicopters to wine and dine in the most expensive hotels and restaurants.

Not content with what they have, they aspire for more. More power, more land, more businesses, more money, more of everything. Insatiable, there seems to be no limit to their greed and their worldly aspirations, oblivious to the suffering of the people all around them who are deprived of all those things.

The dictators and corrupt politicians have forgotten that power is to be used to help the poor and disadvantaged. Instead, they have exploited the people to satisfy their own personal selfish desires at their expense.

Crooked judges who sell out to the higher bidder and law-enforcers that have enriched themselves by withholding and offering protection in exchange for bribes may seem to escape their accountability.

The unscrupulous businessmen who make their money by overpricing their goods and services and undercompensating their workers will continue to enjoy the fruits of their nefarious enterprise.

But there will come a rude awakening.

If you misuse or abuse what God has given you, they will be taken away from you, here and in the hereafter.

But the good news is: It’s not too late for you to turn things around.

You can’t undo the harm you have inflicted on others. What’s done is done. And even as you are required to face the consequences, you can make up for all your mistakes. You can make it right.

No. You can’t just come to Jesus with your hands dirty. You have to clean up your own mess, first. You can’t just do all the evil that you’ve done and then ask Jesus, or anyone else for that matter, to repay for your transgressions or absolve you of your sins.

You wish. But that won’t happen. You are answerable and only you can settle your own obligations, however long that may take. Justice demands no less.

Every evil deed that you have committed can be offset by your compensating in kind. So pay your debts, all of them. Then pay it forward. This time, store up your treasures, not in this world, but in heaven.

With unlimited incarnations, you will have all the opportunities and the time to do this. Of course, you can delay yourself. But it will only get to be much harder for you. So best start doing it, now. It will get easier as you go.

You don’t need to look farther than those around you. They are the ones in need of your help and attention. God doesn’t need you to help Him, but they do.

Resolve not to waste any more of your time and strive to avail of the opportunities afforded you, every day.