ALWAYS CONSIDER THE LESS-PRIVILEGED

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

DATE: TUESDAY, 11TH JULY, 2023 

TOPIC: ALWAYS CONSIDER THE LESS-PRIVILEGED

TEXT: LUKE 16:19-31

19.  " There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.

20.  "But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,

21.  "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22.  "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

23.  "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24.  "Then he 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 tormented in this flame.'

25.  "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.

26.  'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'

27.  "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,

28.  'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

29.  "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'

30.  "And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'

31.  "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "

MESSAGE: 

The rich man in today's passage was so concerned about himself that he could not see the need to take care of poor Lazarus who constantly struggled for crumbs that fell from his table. He had everything in excess but he was not mindful of the poor man around him. At the end, both the rich and poor men died and faced their eternal realities.

Beloved, you must always remember the less-privileged. Some Christians think that until they have all things in abundance like the rich man in our text today, they cannot give to others. This is a wrong way to live as children Of God. Anyone who cannot share from his little will find it difficult to part with anything even when he has much. Eternal damnation awaits those who are selfish and inconsiderate of the less-privileged around them (Matthew 25:41-46). In spite of the challenge in terms of ascertaining those who are genuinely in need in society today, Christians must prayerfully discern and perform the duty of giving to the less-privileged. The rich man enjoyed his wealth on earth but had himself to blame eternally. Beware!

Prayer:  

Almighty God, Giver of all good gifts, help me to always think of others in whatever I may have. Amen.