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When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom
of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the
netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw
Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. Luke 16:22–23 Money is
dangerous, as are power, notoriety, physical beauty, and
exceptional talent. All of these are often desired, sought after,
and envied. In and of themselves, each has the potential for great
good. But because of that, they also have the potential for great
sin. The Gospel passage above presents us with the eternal
consequences of a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich
man lived in luxury, dressed in fine clothes, ate sumptuously every
day, and hoarded his wealth. Lazarus, in stark contrast, was dirt
poor, covered with sores, and longed to eat the scraps of food
often given to dogs. The story’s crux is that their lifestyles were
reversed when they died. From the netherworld, a place of great
torment, the rich man begged Abraham for relief and to raise
Lazarus from the dead to warn the rich man’s five brothers. Abraham
replies with perfect truth and justice: “If they will not listen to
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone
should rise from the dead.” With that, the story ends. Which person
would you rather be? If we removed everything from the story that
took place after their deaths, most people would likely choose the
life of the rich man. Only when we add the eternal consequences to
the story does the choice become clear. Is it possible to be rich
and still attain Heaven? Or is it possible to have earthly power,
beauty, and natural talents that lead to great success and
notoriety in this life and still attain Heaven? Certainly it is,
but only if the Gospel is embraced, regardless of your state.
Whether a person is rich or poor, successful or not, beautiful,
talented, or lacking in these, the question is the same for us all:
Have I generously and wholeheartedly placed all that I am and all
that I have at the service of God? Or have I made a god of passing
things? Even those who lack the “good” things mentioned above run
the risk of seeing their lack of them as the source of their
earthly misery. This is just as dangerous. The bottom line is that
God must be our God, no matter who we are, what we have, how we are
perceived, how we look, or what natural gifts we possess.
Furthermore, our God-given virtues become the means by which we
exercise God’s will in this world, in preparation for the next.
Money, power, notoriety, beauty, and talent are “dangerous” in that
they tempt us to make them gods. They become true blessings when
they are fully dedicated to the exclusive service of God and His
will. Poverty and every worldly misfortune have the same potential
for danger and blessing. When poverty or misfortunes in life are
embraced and offered to God as a sacrifice for His glory, they
produce abundant blessings. When they are disdained and perceived
as obstacles to happiness, then we have turned that which we desire
into a false god. Reflect today on how fully you have dedicated
your life to God and His holy will. Whether you are more like the
rich man or poor Lazarus, hold nothing back from God’s grace. Your
entire life, the good and the bad, must be united to Christ for the
glory of God the Father. That is the one and only path to true
eternal riches. Lord of superabundance, every good thing comes
from You. Please free me from my attachments and desires for the
passing things of this world so that my life may become more
selfless and sacrificial. I rededicate myself to You and the
service of Your holy will so that my eternity will be one of
unimaginable blessings. Jesus, I trust in You.
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