“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house for I have five brothers so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31 ESV
In an ever changing world full of technology and lighting fast reaction times; what will God see when your life is over? You see every morning when we wake its just a sprint until we fall asleep. This world is all about speed and results. The faster something can get done the more accolades you will receive. In our own success there are always things and people that get overlooked when we fail to go through the process of life. When we fail to take time for others we loose a deeper connection to the world. Jesus said” love thy neighbor “ but to often we fail to even acknowledge the people around us. The homeless, fatherless, single moms, college student working two jobs, the amputee, the misfortune that surrounds us is so abundant. We choose to overlook their pain and anguish as long as we get to our objective for the day. How would the perceptions change if we took five minutes out of our day to ask them if they need anything. Something as easy as a cup of coffee to take the edge off someone in need. Something as simple as an act of love. But you see when we fail to acknowledge God, we may have a very successful life. People who don’t seek His guidance can also live a full life and prosper. Yes it is no mystery our God is just and His mercy over flows even on the ones who do not choose Him. It is His mercy since He knows the future they choose so daringly. A future of torment and hell. Like the rich man who made his Heaven on earth; many make their success here as well. We cannot go on and on without seeking the counsel of the Father and loving others. If we do not seek Him we are denying our own soul the opportunity for eternal life. If we deny others in need, we are denying our very own Savior. He states in 1 John 3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. Lazarus died at the rich mans gate with nothing but dogs to lick his wounds. The rich man in the end found hell and Lazarus found peace. There is more to our world than promotion and earthly success. Such joy comes from things we cannot measure but our Father measures us in deed and truth. When we seek the titles of earthly success we become Imprisoned by the very things we desire. When we seek God, we find true escape and peace. Jesus spoke to many but only the one’s with ears could hear. Not everyone understood but the one’s who did became disciples. God chose them just as He chose Moses and the prophets. The preachers and teachers of today are no different. If we do not hear them what else could convince us to change our thoughts and perceptions. Hear this, our world was not created around each and everyone of us. It was created around the one who spoke life into this world. So why is He not the center in our lives?