Lessons from the parable of Lazarus and the rich man

The parable of Lazarus and the rich man is one that can be really uncomfortable, and it is easy to want to forget it as quickly as possible or else ignore it completely, but there are important things to learn from it.

19 ¶There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. (Luke 16:19-21)

Lazarus is in such abject poverty that he is acting like a dog, waiting for leftovers.  That image of dogs licking his sores is really disturbing and makes it clear just how wrong it is for humans to be in that kind of condition.  He is considered a second-class person.  This is like the story of the Good Samaritan, but unfortunately it doesn’t end happily while in mortality. 

 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

 24 And 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. (Luke 16:22-24)

The positions of Lazarus and the rich man have been precisely reversed.  The want the rich man ignored in Lazarus, he begins to suffer.  Unlike Lazarus, who merely desired to feed from the leftovers—Lazarus’s sense of his own worthiness had been beat down under the ground you see—in contrast, the rich man kicks up a serious rumpus and takes his complaint as high as he can.  “Have mercy!  Can’t you see I am tormented!?” he cries to Abraham, who is often considered father of the faithful.  (By the way, it is interesting that the rich man recognizes Abraham, even from afar off, though having never met him in mortality.  What does this teach us about what we will know after death?)

It is also curious that when the rich man finds himself in hell, he discovers he is thirsty.  He has no body, yet he is thirsty.  This suggests to me that his thirst is actually spiritual rather than physical.  I think that his thirst may represent the desire to do good that he squelched all his life.   In the eternities he finds the thirst still there, but with no way of satisfying it; all his wealth has been left behind in mortality.  This reminds me of Isaiah’s words that everyone who fought against Zion would be as those who dreamt they drank and then awake thirsty.

Another thing I noticed recently in this parable is even after death, the rich man still thinks of Lazarus as a second-class person and only meant to be a servant.  We can tell because the rich man only talks to Father Abraham to ask for things, not Lazarus, implying he assumes Lazarus is only there on Abraham’s sufferance, rather than as an equal in Abraham’s estimation.  Also, the rich man wants Lazarus to be sent to serve and comfort him.

This gives us an important warning—that riches have a tendency to cause people to forget the inherent equality of each soul’s worth, and that mistake continues beyond death. 

 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. (Luke 16:25)

The positions of Lazarus and the rich man have been reversed because there is a huge amount of inequitable treatment that happened on earth that has to be made right.  Heaven is fair after all, and unfairness on earth, if never remedied on earth, must be remedied in heaven.

 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (Luke 16:26)

In mortality there was no obstacle standing in the way of the rich man helping Lazarus.  There was no gulf between them, but the rich man made one by completely ignoring Lazarus’s existence.  Might it be too much to say that by doing so, rich man made the very gulf that in the afterlife prevented any comfort coming to him?

 27 Then he [the rich man] said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him [Lazarus] to my father’s house:

 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (Luke 16:27-28)

We see that when the rich man begins to suffer, his sympathy and feeling for others begins to grow and he begins to wish to save others from suffering what he is currently in.  For him that’s a start, even though his anxiety for others only extends at this point to his five brothers who still live in as rich abundance as he did.  (This shows that concern for our siblings is the beginning of charity.)

But at the same time, the rich man still doesn’t understand what he’s doing wrong; he still wants to send Lazarus hither and yon, if not to serve him, then to serve his rich brothers, not realizing how fully things have changed. 

 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16: 9-31)

Abraham shares the principle that unless people already listen to the witnesses they have in this life in the form of the writings of prophets and the words of living oracles of God about helping the poor, no heavenly messenger can do any good in sharing what conditions are like on the other side and what needs to be done to prepare.  If the rich man still didn’t recognize Lazarus’s equality of worth in heaven, no way would his brothers on earth heed any message from Lazarus, if their perception of Lazarus was anything like the rich man’s.

I think this is a warning for me too; if I don’t pay attention to this account or the other scriptures about building Zion and helping others, no angelic visitation that warns will move me either.  I'm not rich, but come on, how rich do we have to be before we feel obligated to help?

Now, we might not have starving sore-ridden people laying at our driveways, but we will know people in need when we see them.

One of my friends told me she learned that one of her classmates didn’t have enough money to buy the book for the class because she barely even had money to buy food.  This friend of mine was shocked, and rather than ignore it, decided to take action.  Although my friend couldn’t spare much money herself, she decided she wanted to anonymously send some money to her classmate.  She asked the major’s administrator for her classmate’s address, and when the administrator found out what for, she made an exception to the privacy rules, on condition that the teacher also be notified.  My friend’s teacher was surprised to learn about such want among one of his students and gave a textbook to the classmate.  My friend heard later that a scholarship was spontaneously bestowed upon her classmate not long afterward, and she gave it as her opinion that the teacher had been behind that.

I’ve tried to help when I have seen needs, but I still feel I have done less than I should have.

Here are some thoughts from other Christian writers about the meaning of this parable:

"This parable targets the violence of apathy and neglect which is widening the chasm between rich and poor. The trouble is that even such abstractions [of “rich” and “poor”] become easy to live with.  We need some first hand experience of encountering the real people whom we will then not be able to dismiss as relative statistics. And if that cannot be first hand, we need to help people engage in active imagination of what it really means to be poor, to be a refugee, to be caught on the wrong side of the chasms…" ("First Thoughts on Year C Gospel Passages in the Lectionary," Pentecost 18, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia. [http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/LkPentecost18.htm])

One way we engage in active imagination of what it really means to be poor and hungry is when we fast.  Our experience with hunger can guide our giving.

"If our hearts are closed to hearing the cry for justice, mercy and bread, the words of the resurrected One will not be convincing, but convicting." ("No Way Out," Mark Harris, The Christian Century, 2001. Religion Online. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=2129])

 “The greatest deception is that people start to believe they are owed a privileged status.  They actually think they are exceptional and believe that they have become more valuable because they have more valuables.”  ("The Man Who Wore Purple and Linen," Jerry Goebel, One Family Outreach. [http://onefamilyoutreach.com/bible/Luke/lk_16_19-31.html])

“Some chasms cannot be crossed. Some things harden…. Even Abraham cuts no ice with a God determined to be just.”  ("Send Lazarus," J. Mary Luti, The Christian Century, 1998. [http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=624])

"We would do well, I believe, to explore those things which our culture highly esteems, and then to consider whether or not these things are well pleasing in the sight of God." ("The Rich Man and Lazarus," Hampton Keathley IV, a study from the Biblical Studies Foundation. [http://bible.org/seriespage/rich-man-and-lazarus])

What inner obstacles do you struggle with when you are confronted with people in desperate need?  How have you overcome them?

Escaping Materialism with Principles of Stewardship

Our world has a big problem with materialism. You don’t have to look far to find manifestations of it. Debt and waste and pollution and poverty and excess are common problems. We can preach against materialism all we want, but until we learn righteous principles ourselves and teach them to our children, we will continue to have troubles with it.

I went through the scriptures and I found that the Lord has given us these principles of stewardship to follow so that we can overcome materialism.

1) Everything on earth belongs to the Lord and we are all His stewards.

And again, a commandment I give unto you concerning your stewardship which I have appointed unto you.
Behold, all these properties are mine, or else your faith is vain, and ye are found hypocrites, and the covenants which ye have made unto me are broken;
And if the properties are mine, then ye are stewards; otherwise ye are no stewards. (D&C 104:54-56)

Yes, we worked for the money to pay for what we have, but who helped us get the job? Who helped us with our education? The Lord is behind it all.

2) We need to be diligent in preserving what we have to be accounted wise stewards.

Thou shalt be diligent in preserving what thou hast, that thou mayest be a wise steward; for it is the free gift of the Lord thy God, and thou art his steward. (D&C 136:27)

One benefit of this diligence is that we will get to learn how things work and learn how to fix things, which is is a talent in itself.

3) Everyone will have to account to the Lord for the use of their stewardship.

That every man may give an account unto me of the stewardship which is appointed unto him.
For it is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures. (D&C 104:12-13)

But let him remember that his stewardship will I require at his hands. (D&C 124:14)

Our tithing settlement interviews should prepare us for the final interview with the Lord when we will be asked to account for how we’ve used our money, property, time, talents, space, and so on.

4) We need to do our part to help the poor and needy in order be accounted just and merciful stewards. The unjust, unwise, unmerciful stewards will have their stewardships taken from them and they will be tormented in hell.

Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment. (D&C 104:18, see also Luke 19:20-24)

The Lord wants us to do our part for the poor, because it is what He would do if He were in our place. As stewards, we are His agents.

5) The just, wise, and merciful stewards will have all things given to them, as well as receiving the stewardships of the unwise.

And behold, he that is faithful shall be made ruler over many things. (D&C 52:13)

For ye are the church of the Firstborn, and he will take you up in a cloud, and appoint every man his portion.
And he that is a faithful and wise steward shall inherit call things. Amen. (D&C 78:21-22)

And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. (Luke 19:24-26)

And whoso is found a faithful, a just, and a wise steward shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life. (D&C 51:19)

And this shall be my seal and blessing upon you—a faithful and wise steward in the midst of mine house, a ruler in my kingdom.
(D&C 101:61)

6) There is more than enough on earth for everybody, because the Lord prepared it that way, but he also gave us choice of what to do with it.

For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves. (D&C 103:17)

This completely contradicts the first thing anyone learns in economics—that there is scarcity. When we have the Lord telling us that there is more than enough for everyone, that means that any scarcity we have on earth has been created by man. I believe that we create scarcity when we require too much.

7) Providing for the saints must be done in the Lord’s way, not the world’s way. The Lord’s way of providing for the saints is to exalt the poor by humbling the rich.

But it must needs be done in mine own away; and behold this is the way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints, that the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low. (D&C 104:16)

The world is always trying to look for ways of exalting the poor without the rich having to sacrifice anything. The world espouses “trickle down economics”, thinking that giving benefits to the rich will eventually benefit the poor. The Lord plainly tells us that is the wrong way to go about it. Those of us who are blessed beyond our needs must sacrifice our surplus.

8) The Lord wants us to be equal in temporal things. If we are grudging about it, the Lord withholds the abundance of the Spirit’s manifestations.

Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld. (D&C 70:14)

This is very interesting. The Lord doesn’t want us to hold back in any way. He wants us to be perfectly willing to do this and He will withhold an abundance of spiritual manifestations from us if we are grudging about equality. How many miracles and spiritual gifts are we missing out on?

9) We need to be careful to discern what is just and needful for our stewardships. No favoritism.

And you are to be equal, or in other words, you are to have equal claims on the properties, for the benefit of managing the concerns of your stewardships, every man according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his wants are just— (D&C 82:17, emphasis added)

How do you know if your wants are just? You have to learn to analyze and debate just how much you need something for your stewardship. I’ve found that it is usually best to counsel about it with a close friend (who isn’t afraid to tell you that you don’t need something) or your spouse. Counseling helps you keep from being impulsive and helps you keep focused on meeting your needs.

I also think the “equal claim” term in the above scripture is neat. In the world today, businesses give top priority and attention to serving those who are willing to pay the most. The Lord’s way seems to be that everyone gets equal priority, because we are all His children.

10)Those who consecrate their labor are worthy of some sort of benefit. Consecrate in spiritual things, and you get extra spiritual manifestations.

He who is appointed to administer spiritual things, the same is worthy of his hire, even as those who are appointed to a stewardship to administer in temporal things;
Yea, even more abundantly, which abundance is multiplied unto them through the manifestations of the Spirit. (D&C 70:12-13)

11)Everyone has the responsibility to improve his stewardship to gain more talents, with the surplus to go to the church.

And all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even an hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord’s storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church— (D&C 82:18)

12) Everyone also needs to seek the interest of his neighbor and the glory of God, and not just looking out for number one.

Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God. (D&C 82:19)

13) The Lord gives us the privilege of organizing ourselves according to His laws.

And thus I grant unto this people a privilege of organizing themselves according to my laws. (D&C 51:15)

I think this is really neat, because it gives us the opportunity to be proactive. It’s so that we can figure out how to live by correct principles in our own particular circumstances.

Also, the Lord knows that living the Law of Consecration can’t be forced upon us, even if it is a commandment; we have to organize ourselves in such a way that we are prepared to do it and then start doing it on our own.

Some ways that doctrines of stewardship have helped us:

About six months ago, I needed a new Mac laptop to replace my six year old one. My husband and I analyzed together what I should get to replace it. For about two days I was convinced by Steve Job’s reality distortion field that I should get a MacBook Air, but when I tried to justify it to my husband, I eventually saw that it really didn’t fit my needs and a MacBook would do the job just as well at about 2/3 the cost. When I got my new computer, I gave my old one away to someone who needed a computer but couldn't afford to get one.

Another example. When gas prices started really zooming up at the beginning of the summer, we found that we could not afford to drive both our cars. Devon had floated the idea of getting a scooter before, but when gas was cheap it seemed like a scooter would just be a toy. Now something with better gas mileage was a necessity. So we got our motorcycle licenses, and then we put a lot of effort into researching what kind of scooter to get that would best fit our needs. We were able to find one that had the cargo accessories we needed and which didn’t cost an arm and a leg.

I've also written extensively about stewardship in my book here.

What does it mean that “the first shall be last and the last shall be first”?

I am pretty interested in finding out, because I really like to be first. I was always annoyed in school that my last name started with W and I had to wait so long to be seated or that I got seated in the back. I like to sit in the front on the bus so that I can get out first. The closer to the front I can sit on the airplane, the better I like it, because I like to be first on and first off. At the dinner table at home growing up, I strategically placed myself in the middle so that I could reach everything and get to everything quickly so that I could be the first to serve myself of my favorite foods, so that I could eat quickly and be the first to be done so that I could be the first to talk and tell everyone about my day while everyone was still eating and would rather eat and listen instead of talk. Sounds pretty.. um.. selfish, doesn’t it?

What does it mean that “the first shall be last and the last shall be first”?

I have heard this phrase from time to time growing up and it seems to say in a vague sort of way that it is supposed to ensure fairness in the eternities, but as I ponder it, the following questions come to mind:

Who is first? Who is last? Is this temporal or spiritual? Or is it both?

And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.
(1 Nephi 13:42)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
(Romans 1:16)

Graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be first, and that the first may be last, and dig about the trees, both old and young, the first and the last; and the last and the first, that all may be nourished once again for the last time.
(Jacob 5:63)

Here “first” and “last” seems to refer to the order in which people receive their opportunity(s) to hear the gospel. The first time Heavenly Father gave his chosen the first chance. Then, after the apostasy, He restores the gospel first to those who had to wait until last before.

Here's a parable on the topic that has always bothered me just a little:

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
(Matt 20:1-16)

Here, it seems to me that the first who went to work in the Lord’s vineyard are like those who joined the church early in their lives and the last are like those who joined the church near the end of their lives. It seems to show us that when the Lord starts handing out our eternal rewards, he starts with those who were the last to get involved and gives them eternal life.

Those of us who were part of the work from the beginning will naturally expect a higher reward than those who only became part of it in the end, and if we aren’t careful, we will be angry that everyone who was part of the work is getting the same reward. (I know I probably would.) The Lord’s answer will be that He is giving us exactly what He agreed to give us and it is His to give anyway. “Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” Are we going to be angry because He is being merciful and kind? (Oops, we better not, because anger at mercy and kindness is a sign of apostasy. Remember the Zoramites - see Alma 35:8-10)

Something that is interesting to notice is the order that the Lord calls the laborers in for payment. He doesn’t start with the first, he starts with the last to be hired. Why were they the last to be hired for work? They must have appeared weak to all the people who were looking for workers. They may have been infirm and physically handicapped. They may have been developmentally disabled. And when no one would hire them, the Lord did.

These people are used to being last. They are the last to understand in school. They are the last to get a good job, because they seem unemployable. They are the last to be benefited in good economic times. They are the last.

Heavenly Father sees all of this and His heart bleeds for them. So He gives them their reward first before anyone else. They get to be first after all the times they were neglected and forgotten. Maybe they get to be taught first and everyone concentrates on them before anyone else. Maybe get their celestial mansions first. (This is pure speculation on my part, but it would make sense.) When it comes to what really matters, they get it first. But what about us? What about me? What if I want to be first there?

Evidently the 12 apostles were very concerned about something like this, because Christ had to say something about it:

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
(Matt 19:29-30)

And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
(Mark 9:35)

So there it is; I have to put myself last and serve others first in this life.

I remember when Christmas Day would come in our house and we would gather our gifts together, everyone with their own pile of gleamingly wrapped presents and my dad would say to us, “I think we will start with the youngest first.” And my youngest brother Trent would tear into his first gift with the enthusiasm of a released puppy. I was the oldest and I often would resent my father’s decision, because he did it the same way every year, but now, after my study of these scriptures, I see it was fair for my youngest brother to be first. After all, I was first in so many things already – first to be born, first to go to school, first to have my own room, first to drive, first to date, first in the year to have a birthday, first-first-first. And I never stopped to consider that when my dad always decided that opening Christmas gifts should start with the youngest he was putting himself last. But because he did that, I can now see in him that quality of both selflessness and fairness that Heavenly Father has.

I strongly suspect that our ability to build Zion depends to a certain extent upon whether we develop these qualities of putting others first.

And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel.
And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham.
And when these things come, bringeth to pass the scripture which saith, there are they who were first, who shall be last; and there are they who were last, who shall be first.
(Ether 13:10-12, emphasis added)

What happens when people concentrate on helping the poorest and last and lowest before themselves?

And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.
(Moses 7:18)

The status of the poor improves because all Zion focuses on them first, to the point that they aren't poor anymore. But Zion doesn't stop there. Zion continues to concentrate on whatever level is happens to be at the bottom until it is brought higher. Naturally it will take longer because there are more people there, but sooner or later that level rises too. This pattern continues until everyone is at the same level, and then all advance together, higher and higher...

This pattern is completely different from that followed by the world. Every time the world wants to help the poor, they start at the wrong end, by helping the rich get richer, hoping that "trickle-down economics" will allow enough money and opportunities to get to the lower strata of society. It doesn't work. They keep trying to do it this way and it will never work; they are starting at the wrong end.

At the beginning I asked whether this last-shall-be-first business is temporal or spiritual or both. It seems clear to me now that it is both. How are we doing in both these things?

What if we were to become less concerned about being first?
What would this world be like if people parked furthest away in the parking lot from the store and allowed those who were weak on their legs the first chance at a parking spot near the door?

What if CEOs gave raises to those with the smallest salaries first?

What if we let the people at the back of the bus and the back of the plane get off first?

What if we made a donation to the church fast offerings or to the church humanitarian aid fund or perpetual education fund before we went on vacation ?

What if I had waited for other people to be served before I served myself?

I don’t know about you, but I have some repenting to do. ‘Scuse me…