Tag: Entitled

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Back to your eternal future.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.” Luke‬ ‭16:22-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus tells a story that should totally shift our perspective.

Here in Luke’s gospel, Jesus is still comparing, not just the rich and poor, but also, what happens to these folks when they are carried into the future.

The future being – in ETERNITY! What a shocker to folks listening. We only seem to take the PRESENT seriously, the NOW, the moment to moment. And, it seems that Jesus is trying to get us to think further, deeper, into the un-fathomless future called, eternity.

As humans we constantly struggle to think or believe outside ourselves, into what or who existed before us (history) and what or who will exist long after we are gone (legacy). We just make decisions for THIS moment and this moment only.

That seems to be the case with the unnamed rich man. Jesus sized him up quickly, a “rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.” And the rich man must have been eating well too because the other man portrayed with the name, “Lazarus,” seemed to be waiting for anything falling from the rich man’s table. Luke did not use the word “scraps.” The compare-contrast picture of a dog who waits and begs under the table (we have two such dogs btw) to the dogs who come and pity the man by licking his sores! Did you know that Dogs are very perceptive in caring and nursing humans that are injured? You have this picture that Lazarus is treated like a dog and gets better care from the dogs than he does his own kind.

Back to the future… both die. One goes to a banquet, the other a hot, horrible eternal summer in Indiana. Maybe Hell isn’t a dry heat after all. It is there that the rich man takes a serious look at his NOW present circumstances. He cries out to the host of the banquet, Father Abraham and has the audacity to ask him to send Lazarus over to just bring a drop of water to quench a nasty, flaming hot Cheetos-mouth in the rich man. Are you kidding me? The rich guy is still in some warped sense of entitlement while he’s in some kind of purgatorial HELL! Talk about ZERO self awareness even in this place of torment.

Jesus then comments on the now very uncomfortable, un-luxurious man’s second request. His SECOND request to Abraham, mind you. “can you at least warn my brothers.” Ah, there we go, finally the rich man grasps the gravity of every human being in this planet. Someone needs to warn them! Is the rich man hinting that Abraham should send Lazarus back to his five brothers in some kind of Jacob Marley, ghost-like visit? The guy is still trying to command and control happily-dead Lazarus! He doesn’t ask Lazarus himself. He doesn’t shout across the chasm – “I am so sorrrrrrry Lazarus…. echo echo echo.”

Even though he finally gets HIS own, well deserved, hellish predicament, he still has no understanding of what’s happened! Rich dude doesn’t get to tell anyone to do anything for him ever again! The ultimate reality check does not sink in, even after death! Exasperated, the rich man negotiates with Abraham in his utter loss of control. But, but but, he says, “‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’” Hmmm, what a thought. If someone comes back from the dead to warn the living of an eternal life that awaits them, maybe then – they would what? Repent, change their temporal, fleeting thoughts and behaviors that only exist in the “NOW” moment? What a grand idea!

In very Jewish fashion, Jesus reminds his listeners, quoting what “future” Abraham would likely say, “If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’” And to non-Jews Jesus would say, “if they won’t listen to every whisper of God that shows up in every grand splendor of creation, every person that attempts to warn them (trying to show God’s love long before God’s final judgment), and has entertained a thousand promises that people would give God their life if only God would get them out of some horrendous jam they’ve got themselves into.” Oh – if they won’t listen to all of that, then it’s totally on them!

Even if God himself were to come, live like us, die like a criminal and come back from the dead to WARN us, they still wouldn’t listen? Yep – this is us.

It’s not just the rich that struggle to peer into their own future, we all do it. So we should quit waiting for some Jacob Marley, some nightmare or near-death experience. Just make the decision to follow Jesus and live your life, live your future NOW.

Prayer

Dad,
Forgive us for being to slow to see our future.

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Am I a one percenter?

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless.” Ecclesiastes‬ ‭2:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​The heart searches, but does it find fulfillment? First of all Solomon was afforded something most humans never have access to – leisure.

I don’t know if it’s true, but I’ve heard about this 99% of the world don’t have a lot. Does the majority of humanity even have the resources to enjoy leisure?

Solomon had a life that gave him the opportunity to even ask the question, “What do I really want?” Most work, sleep and eat very little and have no time to ask about dreams, wishes or even a moment to search for Solomon’s list.

Look at what he tries out for fulfillment. Pleasure. Laughter, enhanced by wine. Then he pauses and admits, “I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.” He knew he was entitled. He knew he had the access, money and opportunity to push every boundary possible to see what’s out there to fill the emptiness and/or cravings in his soul.

He tried more noble pursuits, like building. Oh, he didn’t build these things himself, he only dreamed the design and architecture of what he desired. Slaves built HIS dreams. Read the plurality of he “built,” big homes, vineyards, gardens, and man-made lakes (reservoirs). He bought slaves! He bought people to serve himself and his kingdom. And, he had the unashamed, zero self-awareness to couple those purchases with animals. He bought people like he did animals, and used them for his search for fulfillment! He acquired massive amounts of wealth, wealth upon wealth, money that makes more money, by ever increasing in value. He hired singers and had numerous sexual encounters with women and possibly men as well (concubines). He captured his plenty in this sentence, “Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure.” He even tried actual WORK. What did he go out an pull a weed? Did he play slave for the day?

What is the point of all this pursuit? And, why the excess? Solomon decided, since he was the wisest human to ever exist until Jesus came along, that he would find the answers and record them for anyone interested in knowing what’s out there.

You know what he found, exhausting every known pursuit – nothing! Nada! Zilch! He writes, “There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.” I question the wild, abandoned pursuit of any of these things Solomon thought would bring him fulfillment or satisfaction of life itself.

But, I do know this. One, he did it so that I don’t have to wonder, “what if.” Two, Jesus, being the wisest ever, lived a totally and completely opposite kind of life. He didn’t live for pleasure, humor, wine, buildings, vineyards or gardens. He didn’t buy people or animals to amass a popular image. Jesus was financially BROKE, not having any real money or real estate to his name. Every cool little luxury he had was borrowed! Yeah, donkeys, rooms, goblets, gardens and even his own tomb – all donated by others. He died naked and even wore someone else’s burial clothes!

Solomon lived a life of excess and ecstasy so we can see how worthless it really is. Jesus lived a simple life, even a poor life, to show us the perspective of God towards a truly generous and eternal life. Jesus owned NOTHING, but had EVERYTHING. And, in God and accomplishing his mission, found the fulfillment that Solomon searched for.

Prayer

Dad,
If I am living the 1% life, and I believe I am. Then I really need to pay attention to a couple things: To whom much is given, much is required and I need to live a far more grateful, thankful existence. I need to constantly tend to my generosity and gratitude!

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Wisdom’s own Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Wisdom has built her house; she has carved its seven columns. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table. She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. “Come in with me,” she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgment, she says, “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live; learn to use good judgment.” Proverbs‬ ‭9:1-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​What an amazing way to look at God’s wisdom, actually preparing for and inviting people to a beautiful setting and a meal. There are so many pictures that come to mind as I read this.

First the enormous space that wisdom has anticipated for the event, it had seven columns. It’s not just a great feast it’s a large setting, a banquet hall ready for guests to be honored and treated like royalty. Do you see this? The SIMPLE are given a chance to feel like kings and rulers. Fools are invited to this feast! This is the Hebrew word, pethiy, fool, silly (i.e. Seducible). These are the ones who are easily enticed, misled. It’s the second most used word (15 times) for “fool” in Proverbs.

The other picture I see reflected in these verses is Jesus talking about a banquet feast that no one showed up to! Luke tells us in chapter 14 that Jesus told this story of the man who wanted to throw a huge party and invites had all gone out. However, when regrets started coming back, it made the man angry. He got excuses from the rich and/or well off – a man who just bought property, who was so wealthy he didn’t even need to see it first! Another who picked up some oxen and didn’t know if they were any good. And finally, a married guy, who forgot to tell his bride he’d been invited to a posh event, sorry no plus one. All of these smell of entitlement! So the man got really angry and instructed his servants to go out and invite the disenfranchised. They were not fools, but would likely not have opportunities to attend an event like this. This old proverb is different because the entire extravaganza was planned and prepared for those fools on the fringe.

And, here’s the kicker. Wisdom reveals her motive right there in the last stanza. “Ok,” you might think, “there’s the hook, the switch, the real truth.” But look at WHY wisdom would go to such extremes to host this party specifically for those who are specifically and regularly targeted for being taken advantage of. The catch, wisdom wants them to LEAVE their normal patterns of gullibility and find out how to LIVE! And to LEARN to use good judgment. This was a fancy, free dinner and seminar on how to better themselves and to quit being duped all the time!

Genius! Come for the elegance and free drinks and stay for a life seminar. If you could only see how much God wants to GIVE you a solid life, a good life, a smart and morally sound life, you would see how much He cares for you. Jesus retold a form of this parable with the edgy, entitled angle to basically say the same thing. This grand banquet, this free seminar is open to any who would take God up on his offer. In a very odd coincidence, it feels like Wisdom has its own Chocolate Factory and has invited the Charlie’s of the world to experience it!

PRAYER:

Dad,
Why is it so hard for folks to see how much, how hard you work to love us and give us a life filled with adventure and fulfillment. Why have we pitched salvation and redemption as a jail cell filled with rules and a boring funless life? We’ve really been duped! I think the church has been complicit in pitching holiness and righteousness and as joy and freedom killers. We’ve got it all wrong, all backwards! The real lie is this idea that our free choice to do what ever we want leads to happiness. And having our every wicked desire fulfilled leads to freedom. We have played the Pethiy fool, the simple seducible for believing that! We have all been DUPED! Help us see TRUTH, live truth!