![]() At least he and other billionaires realize their wealth can do much good to alleviate pain and suffering among the world's poor. Gates' wealth grows even as he is working very hard to give much of it away through his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This week I heard that Microsoft founder Bill Gates regained the title of world's richest man-his net worth this year soaring to more than $70 billion. None of it could be shared with others because, in his twisted way of thinking, that would leave less for him. He lived by the "zero sum" rule-he wanted the whole pie for himself. But this man was not willing to share his wealth. Nothing is wrong with these pursuits in and of themselves. ![]() This man dressed in the finest clothes and ate well every day of the year. The parable begins by telling us, "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day" (Luke 16:19). This story should motivate us to take a deep hard look at the legacy we're building each day. We have it in our power to be a force for good. It's the only one where the main character is given a name, perhaps in part to make it more personal for each of us reading this. This parable of the rich man and Lazarus is one of the most dramatic and pointed of the parables. Remember this is not an actual story but a parable, which is told in allegorical manner to convey spiritual truth. Let's see what we can learn from what Jesus taught. A proper perspective of greed and cynicism and the judgment of God is the point. Yet that is not the point of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16. He went on to speak a parable that is often misunderstood to be a proof that dead people either go to heaven or to hell at death. He confronted religious leaders who were lovers of money, telling them that "what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:14-15). He spoke a parable to warn us not to love money more than people. Jesus had no qualms in confronting such attitudes. The abuses will get to the point where economic slavery will sap the life from many (Revelation 18:13). Meanwhile, the poor will get poorer by comparison. We're awash in global wealth, yet the wealth will be concentrated in fewer hands as we near the end of this age. ![]() A day is coming when all such abuses will be judged.Īlmost daily we hear stories of how the rich and powerful get ever richer and more powerful. We live in times when this is happening all around the world. What happens to a rich person who loves his money more than his neighbor and laughs at those less well off? What happens to a nation that glorifies such attitudes? Plenty.
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