Dip Your Finger
23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ (Luke 16:23-26)
Jesus told a parable about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. In this story Lazarus sat begging at the gate of the rich man, but was given nothing - even though the rich man feasted regularly. Eventually both died and the rich man went to Hades while Lazarus went to be with Abraham. Even in death, the rich man attempted to exert his privilege by asking Abraham to have Lazarus dip his finger in cool water and place it on the rich man's tongue. Abraham refused, citing their lifetime of reversed roles and the chasm that now divided them for eternity.
We may note that the fact that Lazarus is named gives him a specific identity, but the rich man could be anyone - he could even represent you and me. In Jesus' day it was expected that those with means would give something to those without. Jesus didn't give any reason in his story for the rich man's inaction. Perhaps Lazarus was one of many, and the rich man thought he should give to none since he couldn't give to all. Perhaps he thought the government should deal with the issues of the poor. Maybe he thought Lazarus looked healthy and fit enough to work and care for his own needs. No matter what the rich man's reasons might have been for not helping Lazarus, they were not sufficient to keep him out of Hades. Interestingly, the rich man in Jesus' story calls Abraham "father" and Abraham calls the rich man "son", but even that implied relationship could not save the rich man from the consequences of a hard heart.
No one individual can eradicate poverty, or fix the systems that keep people entrenched. But each individual can decide and commit to consistently doing something. Our action will keep our hearts from becoming hard and numb to the pain and the plight of others. Jesus gave no reason for the rich man's inattention because there is no reason for us to ignore those who are suffering. May God never stop pricking our hearts and encouraging our hands to move with actions of mercy and grace.
6 Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. 11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:6-12)
