City Life Starter

Written by Nate Warren

The Word

“Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.

Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.

Luke 6:21,25

19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.

Luke 16:19-25

Reflection

As we read the beginning of chapter 16, we see that Jesus is teaching a large group of disciples, with the Pharisees listening in. Just a few verses prior, Jesus teaches that a person cannot love both God and wealth, for which the Pharisees openly ridiculed him (verses 13 and 14). In this same context, Jesus’ telling of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man drives home this point.

Jesus opens the parable by showing the starkest contrast between the wealth of the man, and the poverty of Lazarus. Lazarus is left at the gate of the rich man’s estate because he’s clearly the best positioned person in town to help him. Jewish law prohibits landowners from harvesting all of their crops so that the poor and strangers could have the opportunity to glean the leftovers of the harvest. This rich man left none of his excess for Lazarus, and clearly violated the principle of the Mosaic Law (Deut 24:19).

In telling this story in the earshot of the Pharisees, He is incisively putting their hearts to the test. Will they try to justify their wealth, power, and lust for honor at the expense of those without access to these privileges or will they recognize the wisdom of Jesus’ rebuke in light of the scriptures that they have memorized? Will they recognize in themselves the disintegrated soul of the rich man, but unlike him, seek help before it’s too late?

Application

If I look at the passage above from Luke 6, it seems that there’s no hope for the rich except to get rid of their wealth. Do all of us have to deny comfort and laughter if we want to get comfort and laughter? This paradoxical approach can be a stumbling block for the rich, as they don’t know how to detach from their wealth, comfort, and status. That’s precisely the problem.

It’s not sin to have any of these things. But If you do have them, to whatever degree, what would become of you if you lost it all? Would there be anything left of you to stake your life on?

Jesus guarantees that those who have full bellies and have the ease of laughter will not always have these. If this describes you, what plan should you make to ensure your soul is prepared for that day?

Prayer

Father,
Teach me to depend on your grace,
Thanking you for the food already on my plate and the joy in my heart,
Expecting nothing more than my portion for today.
May your love for others be planted me, so that when I have excess, I will be generous with my poor neighbor as You have commanded.
Amen