What is more comfortable to love and care for everyone (really love) or forgive someone who has wronged you? If I am frank, both or difficult in our strength. I can only speak for myself, but I can be prideful. I am continually having to be alert and on guard against pride. However, at times, I find myself struggling to love all of God’s people the same sincerely, especially if they have hurt me in some way. Or I find myself feeling justified in closing others out when they have offended or harmed me in any way that I have not forgiven. 

In Luke 16, Jesus is teaching about the principles of stewardship, selfishness, and how we see and treat others. Verses 19-31 is the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazerus, not the same Lazarus raised from the dead. In this story, God reveals the significance of how we treat others and hearing and responding to the Gospel. 

The story starts with details about the relationship between the rich man and the beggar. The rich man overlooked and ignored the needs of Lazarus. Yet, when they both died, Lazarus was in Abraham’s presence while the rich man was tortured by fire in Hades. When dialogue between the rich man and Abraham occurs, we see the reason for the rich man being condemned to hell. It was not because he was rich but because he failed to love not only God but others. It wasn’t until it was too late that he realized how vital it is to hear God’s message, live it, and share it with others. 

What God thought me through this is that:

1. Wealth is not proof of a person’s righteousness.
2. Don’t be selfish, refusing to love and care for all people. Pride aside. 
3. We receive many great blessings daily; don’t be hard-hearted; forgiveness is key to this. 
4. Don’t wait for the dead to be raised to believe the truth of the Gospel. Then it will be too late.
5. Do you love all of God’s people? Do you meet the needs of those God puts in your path? Have you heard the message of the Kingdom of God and have not responded? If not, what are you waiting for? Please don’t wait until it is too late.