Caught Dead...Again?

...Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required... Luke 12:48b Remember the tale I told about my mother's husband? He's got a nice outfit ready, chosen by my sisters, if my mom "goes" before he does, so that she won't be buried in "something she wouldn't be caught dead in." While she's not in any particular danger of "going" for a while yet, he's all set. Until she decides to revise it. Good luck with that, Papa John! There are quite a few things I don't want to be caught dead in, and I think you'll find some of them in your own list. Don't have a list? Might be a good time to make one so you aren't caught...by surprise. Let's put Selfishness on the top of that list. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. Luke 16:22-23 Personally, I've never been in much danger of being "rich", at least by American standards, so for a long time I just kind of assumed that the rich man was getting what he deserved. If you follow up that little train of logic, it wrecks on the premise that poor folks are somehow better or more godly than rich ones. For most of us, it isn't a character issue, just lack of opportunity. You could make the case that Jesus doesn't really say why the rich man ended up where he did, but I think He gave us a pretty big hint. I suspect that maybe letting a man - a fellow countryman, maybe even a kinsman - starve to death on his front porch while he was feasting inside might have just a little bit to do with it. Trust me, you don't want to be caught dead like that! If he had even deigned to think about the beggar in the yard, it was probably along the lines of "If I help him, it will just encourage other deadbeats to show up, and I don't have the resources to feed ALL the poor." Thing is, the promises of God's blessings were directly tied to generosity (Deuteronomy15). There always have been, and I suppose always will be until the Lord establishes the new Heaven and earth, folks who try to take advantage. We have learned to not give cash, but a sack of groceries to a soul in need will never go amiss. God has been overwhelmingly generous to us, and as His representatives He expects us to be the same to others. Risky, sure, but He's got us covered. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Luke 6:35