"Too Little, Too Late!"

'And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments.
 .'     Luke 16:23a
     We either are or we aren't.
     Oh how we love 'insurance.'  This is especially true 
in the United States where most folks are 'insurance 
poor.'  We have car insurance. . .homeowner's insurance. . 
.life insurance. . .health insurance. . .property 
insurance, etc.  Yet, still we worry over the future and 
the 'unknown'. . .while giving little thought to 
preparation for eternity.

     The rich man (though unnamed) in today's Manna was 
that way.  He was well-off financially and 'lived the good 
life' (v.19).  He'd 'worked his way to the top' and had 
'arrived.'  Yet, Jesus pointed out how poverty-stricken 
he was in soul and how unprepared for eternity when death 
caught him unaware.

     His was a life of self-centered indulgence.  He had 
little or no time for God or others.  He especially had no 
time for stinking beggars with sore-infested limbs and 
inwardly wished they'd be laid at someone else's gate 
(v.20).  In fact, it's likely that he turned his eyes the 
other way each day when he left his compound-or even went 
out another way-just so he'd not have to see the pitiful 
creature or hear his incessant cries of "Crumbs, crumbs.  
Please, sir, just some crumbs from your table" (v.21).

     But, one morning one of his servants came in and 
said, "Master, that beggar, Lazarus, died during the night 
and they've carried his body away.”  No doubt the rich, 
VIP, 'Man of the Year' breathed an inward sigh of relief 
and said, "Finally-I don't have to be bothered by that 
beggar anymore.”

     No, he didn't have to be bothered by that beggar 
anymore.  But, neither did he have to be bothered anymore 
by stock market reports, taxes, committee meetings,
etc.-for shortly thereafter "he also died and was
buried-and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in
torments. . .” (vv.22c-23a).

     One minute he was sitting in his easy chair. . .being 
fanned and fed by a servant. . . watching 'Gladiator
Extreme Games'. . .and the next minute he found himself in 
the pits of hell, being "tormented in the flames'
(v.24c).  Just as quickly he saw Lazarus standing across
the 'Great Divide' with Father Abraham.  No longer was the
beggar's body frail and filled with sores.  Neither was
he begging for crumbs.  He was comforted and content
(v.25b).

     At first, the rich man thought it was some horrible 
nightmare; yet, no amount of pinching or shaking himself 
could wake him up.  Likewise, all of his pleas for
assistance and relief were met with the words,
"Too little, too late" (v.25-26).  Even his newfound
concern and evangelistic zeal for his brothers back on
earth were answered with "Too little, too late" (v.27-31).
How sad will be that time for those who discover that the
same God for whom they had no time on earth will have no
time for them in eternity.  May we be faithful in asking 
others, "Are you ready??”-for the hour is late.