Thursday, March 8, 2012
Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
Luke 16:19
Jesus told a story, “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores …”
Jesus goes on to admonish the listening Pharisees about their poor stewardship of the spiritual riches they had been given. They have not shared it with their brothers, the Gentiles, as they should have according to the covenant God made with Abraham. And nothing, he predicted, would open their eyes to this failure, not even a resurrection.
Not long after this, another Lazarus did die, and Jesus called him back to life. And as Jesus expected, the Pharisees did not believe; in fact, they plotted for Lazarus to die a second time to prevent his testimony from influencing the people.
Both here, and in the later chapters of Matthew, Jesus seems to throw his hands in the air and just give up on the religious leaders of his day. Perhaps he did not; I hope he did not. Religious leaders of every generation have known truth that made them free and then failed to share it with their heart and soul. Does God throw up his hands every time and leave them to their fate?
I’m hardly a leader, but I’m certainly not an innocent here. By my actions and inactions I often fail to share what I’ve been given. Spiritual sustenance is often hard to come by, and I feel rich beyond measure.
Thank you for this in- my-face reminder, Lord, available whenever I’d like to read Luke 16. Forgive my sightless eyes and cautious, grasping hands, holding onto what you’ve given instead of casting it out onto the waters.
http://christiancounselingservice.com/archived_devotions.php?article_id=1002
