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Service? Neighbor?

by Greg VanFossen

During each of my two visits to Guyana, I observed many in the interior who had little in the way of material possessions.  Even the “poor” in the U.S. have much more than they.  In a previous article I explored the criteria Jesus used to define what a neighbor is in the story of the Good Samaritan.  It has become clear to me that need, not proximity, defines our neighbor. Service defines what it means to be a neighbor to the one in need.  What I possess is for me to manage in a way that will encourage others toward a relationship with Jesus Christ.  The devil’s trap is for me to use my God-given time in managing possessions for personal gratification.  The parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus” comes to mind.  A careful study of this parable brings a certain amount of self-condemnation because the message becomes clear as to my own lack of sensitivity to the needs of those around me. 

Let’s take a look at “The Rich Man and Lazarus”.  This parable is a bit controversial because some use it to define what happens to a person at death.  If this story is not about what happens in death, what is it about?  In the book Desire of Ages we are given some insightful perspectives.  Jesus is described as philosophically meeting the Pharisees and Sadducees on their own ground.  These two groups are characterized, even in scripture, as being at odds with regard to what happens to an individual after death.  Here Jesus tells about a wealthy man living life on earth with all his desires and needs met while at the gate of his home is a man suffering from great want.  The Rich Man walks by Lazarus daily to go about his business with an obvious indifference to the poor man’s condition.  In those days, an individual in Lazarus’ condition was considered to be receiving judgment from God as a result of his or her own actions and therefore deserved the situation. 

Jesus’ statements and behavior do not support this attitude.  Lazarus is the one who realizes his need of God and has put himself in a location where one of God’s stewards should have helped him but didn’t.  Because of the Rich Man’s apathy toward Lazarus’ neediness on this earth, the experience of the Rich Man after death in the New Earth will be switched with that of Lazarus.  So the moral of the story is: Don’t be The Rich Man. 

While this may not seem difficult on the surface, consider that being wealthy is not a matter of quantity of material items but rather that of resources one has relative to the needs of others. 

I would suggest that I, as a Christian, do not own anything but have the privileges of being a brother to the Son who has promised to share His throne with me.  My problem can be a strong affinity to things, losing the desire for Christ on the throne of my heart.  Toward the end of this chapter, Ellen White describes those in society who tend to be the Rich Man.  These are people who are not bad relative to others in their community.  They are upstanding citizens. However, they are more focused on making their own lives comfortable than helping others. Ouch! 

The Revelation 6:16 mention of the “wrath of the lamb” has created a bit of wonder in my mind.  It seems a little odd that warriors and princes and other powerful men would be afraid of an angry sheep, let alone a lamb.  What is the deal with this anyway?  Again, in Desire of Ages (p. 825) the author describes a situation that would incure our own wrath. 

If one of my children were out alone somewhere and suffered a severe injury and a number of people knowingly passed by without offering assistance, I would be exceedingly angry with them.  My anger would be especially kindled if my child died as a result of the lack of attention.  This is the wrath of the lamb. This is the condemnation of The Rich Man.  It is important that I not get caught up in trying to support a hedonistic lifestyle to the exclusion of my true responsibility.  If I can just get past focusing on myself, this can be a much more exciting experience.  How better to combat these tendencies than to use what I have to further God’s work in His world?  What can be more satisfying than to give of what God has blessed me with? It’s called re-gifting.