Luke 16:19-24: a reflection

19“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores, 21and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 24He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’

Jesus tells of a rich man who lived in luxury every day, and a beggar named Lazarus who lay at his gate, covered with sores, longing for the crumbs from the rich man's table. The rich man did not, as far as we are told, actively harm Lazarus; his sin was simpler and more common: he ignored him. Day after day, Lazarus lay at his gate in misery, and the rich man, absorbed in his own comfort, did not notice, did not care, did not help. And after death, their positions are reversed.

Notice the nature of the rich man's sin: not active cruelty, but comfortable indifference. He did not drive Lazarus away or abuse him; he simply did not notice, did not care, did not act. Lazarus lay right at his gate, in plain sight, in obvious need; but the rich man was so absorbed in his own comfort and luxury that the suffering at his very door did not move him. His sin was the indifference of a comfortable heart to the misery close at hand.

That comfortable indifference is a sin we can easily share, and it is sobering. We may never actively harm the poor; but we can, like the rich man, be so absorbed in our own comfort that we do not notice or care about the suffering near us, the Lazarus at our own gate. The rich man was condemned not for cruelty, but for indifference. Do not let your own comfort blind you to the suffering close at hand. Notice the Lazarus at your gate, the one in need whom your comfort might tempt you to overlook; and do not pass by in comfortable indifference. The rich man's sin was not that he harmed Lazarus, but that he ignored him; let it not be said of you that suffering lay at your gate and you did not notice or care. Open your eyes to the need near you, and let your comfort not make you indifferent to the Lazarus at your door.

Lord Jesus, you told of a rich man who lived in luxury while the beggar Lazarus lay at his gate covered with sores; the rich man's sin was not active cruelty, but comfortable indifference, so absorbed in his own comfort that he did not notice or care for the suffering at his very door. Let that sobering picture reach me, for I can easily share that sin. I may never actively harm the poor; but I can, like the rich man, be so absorbed in my own comfort that I do not notice or care about the suffering near me, the Lazarus at my own gate. The rich man was condemned not for cruelty, but for indifference. Keep my own comfort from blinding me to the suffering close at hand. Help me notice the Lazarus at my gate, the one in need whom my comfort might tempt me to overlook; and keep me from passing by in comfortable indifference. His sin was not that he harmed Lazarus, but that he ignored him; let it not be said of me that suffering lay at my gate and I did not notice or care. Open my eyes to the need near me, Lord, and let my comfort not make me indifferent to the Lazarus at my door.