Read Luke 16:19-31. There you will find the narrative of the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus is making a point to people who are hoarders, never thinking of helping or reaching out to others. Jesus points to this rich man who "habitually" dressed in the finest while living each and every day of his life enjoying what he could buy and bring to himself. That sounds a lot like the society we live in. People concerned about their money, investments and pouring out all kinds of "stuff" for our children to enjoy and engross themselves in! Parents who will purchase item after item, no matter of the cost or debt they put themselves in because they want their kids to have it (or they want it for themselves)! Our children grow up learning to hoard more and more. (Just walk into the kids room and look at all the expense we have spent for them to have things.) I am not saying it is wrong for our children or ourselves to have things. Jesus was not saying it was wrong to possess things. The message coming from our Lord was a message of greed and covetousness. Spend for me, get for me, what is going to be left for me and how can I retire for me! In the end, it will all be burned!!!
Look at the preaching and teaching of a gospel message that will have an eternal effect on the lives of many. A countless number of people, each moment, each day are dying, walking off into a place of eternal condemnation. Look at how little we think about spending our monies to help preachers/teachers proclaim this gospel. We think nothing of gathering for ourselves but what about reaching with our funds to help others. Now listen carefully, this is not about a guilt trip. I don't do guilt trips and put people on guilt trips. I am trying to get us to slow down and look at where we put our emphasis. What do we teach out children about helping others? Are we showing them how to be givers, especially in the need of reaching the lost? Are we teaching them to be like the rich man, to hoard and live in as much enjoyment as we can with little concern for the needs of others?
Jesus said, "Look at Lazarus". He sat day after day at this rich man's gate wanting to be fed with crumbs falling from his table. Even the dogs had more than Lazarus. They at least licked his wounds! The rich man never once gave Lazarus a second look. Never once did the rich man consider helping. All that the rich man concerned himself with was his personal ease and pleasures. We find many in the church today with the same mind set, only to deceive themselves into thinking they are serving the Lord (II Tim. 3:4-5).
We need to be reminded, it is coming. Eternity is coming to us and we will see the result of our service to our Lord. The rich man found himself in pain, torment and agony while Lazarus found himself in comfort. Jesus was teaching: "Go ahead and think only of you and how comfortable you are in this life but there is a day coming when there will be a reversal of fortune!" We need to give serious thought to what we go after and what we are training our children to go after. The lost need teaching. They need to hear a saving message. As we support those who reach out, we too are sharing in this eternal gospel and there is no price we can put on it. John reminded Gaius to help those going out for the sake of the Name, how we need to support such (III John 5-8). Ignore giving and you will find yourself missing the blessings of giving and in the end, a reversal of fortune. Look around and think seriously about where you put your emphasis in this life, while teaching your children to follow in your steps. Jesus always taught it is more blessed to give than to receive. Do we believe that?
3 comments:
So hard to instill this in our kids when not just in our society but even in the church, they see monies being thrown into elaborate buildings and state of the art equipment. How to we combat that we they see it in the church?
Good point, Dale! Many times those in the Lord's church are bad examples. There are many good examples too. However, our children need to be taught to imitate good, not evil (III John 11). The conclusion? Parents need to be teaching, training and bringing up their children in the ways of the Lord, following Him so they can tell the difference! That's why the Lord gave us our children for US to train them!!!
I should have known that. Good point and well taken.
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