In the reading about Lazarus and the rich man, I am sometimes like the rich man. Thankfully, I have been blessed and have little understanding of what brings someone to sleep on the street or beg for money. Having been raised in a third world country I have a good grasp of the realities of seeing others who have grown up in poverty or other difficult situations. That does not make it easier to understand, or not simply walk pass the Lazarus’ of this world. Over the years I have learned to be less judgemental of others and to stop and think about what might have brought someone to the difficult point in their life where they are like Lazarus. The call to action for me as a Christian is to find ways to bridge that gap – it may not all be directly financial, but I can help bridge the gaps through compassion, stewardship of my time or other gifts, as needed.
There are huge gaps in means are often brought home to me, here in Canada, when I consider what we have, use, and discard without a thought each day. The consumer society of the average person in North America is a far cry from the reality of the ordinary person’s life in Africa or Asia, or the struggles of Aboriginal Peoples of North America to simply make a living. When we think of buying that new piece of clothing or item that I do not ‘need’ but ‘want’, I ask myself if the money is not better spent on helping others, on our doorsteps or as far away as Africa. Small efforts by each of us can make a difference.
There are prophets out there who carry the message of compassion - some are working quietly in sharing their compassion, and doing ‘good works’ without fanfare. Others are more vocal prophets. I think we need both types of prophets to help us sustain the message – those who ‘shout it from the mountain top’ and those who work quietly and directly with individuals.
