“Feed The Lazarus At Your Gate!”

“Feed The Lazarus At Your Gate!”(Lk.16:19-31).
Today we are reflecting on the story of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar who was always at the rich man’s gate. The story reminds me of “The Beggars’ Strike” by Aminata Sow Fall; a book I’ve read several times, and still fall back to it.
Here?? is someone’s summary of the story:
“The sight of disease-ridden beggars in the streets is giving the town a bad name, and the tourists are starting to stay away. If the Director of Public Health and Hygiene can get rid of them he will have done a great service to the health and economy of the nation – not to mention his own promotion prospects. A plan of military precision is put into action to rid the streets of these verminous scroungers.
But the beggars are organized, too.
They know that giving alms is a divine obligation and that Allah’s good will is vital to worldly promotion. So when the beggars withdraw their charitable service, the pious city civil servants and businessmen start to panic.”
Yes, beggars too can go on strike and refuse to receive from the rich. Somebody can be a beggar but he is still human and still has his dignity.
Lazarus the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side, not because he was a beggar, but because he possibly did not contravene any of the commandments of the LORD. The rich man died and was suffering in hell, not because he was rich, but because he failed to use a little of his riches to feed the beggar at his gate. The rich man did not keep the second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbour as yourself!” He treated his dogs better than Lazarus. But Lazarus loved the rich man; that is why he never changed his beggar’s spot – the rich man’s gate. He even loved the rich man’s dogs who were friendlier to him as they often licked his wounds to soothe his pain.
No rich man is asked to feed all the beggars. The Lord just wants you to feed the ones at your gate. Right down to the least of us, there is a beggar at our gates that we must feed. Some may have houses without gates, some may not even have a house of their own, but there is that one person who depends on the little that you can offer.
My friend, do not ignore the beggar at your gate. Do not expect that somebody will come back from the land of the dead to tell you why it is important to care for the needy around you.
The LORD has blessed you so that you should bless others. Let love lead you to feed the beggar at your gate today!
Weekend prayer: Lord, continue to bless all the rich people who have fed me at their gate. Holy Spirit prompt me to share what I have with the beggar at my gate. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.