Crumbs...the Wayfarer 10/28/14

Crumbs

10/28/14

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

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

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 16:20-22)

Crumbs from the table… How many children today would be thrilled to partake of the crumbs from the tables of those, who in no way consider themselves rich as they dine regularly in the cafes and culinary artifices so regularly visited?

How many scavenge through the dumpsters behind the fast food places that are so prominent within a society where those who visit them consider themselves impoverished because they have to work in such a place, yet have plenty to accommodate habits and wants that exceed the needs of their own bodies?

Crumbs from the table… all that was asked by a man named Lazarus, whose rags were as unworthy as the food he sought.

How many of those raiding those dumpsters have no coat, jacket or warmth as the weather turns cool to cold, yet refuse to buy the needed items because of the wants that so exceed those needs?

How many of those dining on the cuisine they find so sumptuous, do desirable, so necessary, have any compassion for those with naught to eat, not with which to clothe themselves, naught with which to survive, naught to hope for, and think they have naught to give?

Ah…but there are many, many, others still less fortunate than those who raid the dumpsters to feed their habits.

These have no dumpsters to raid, no habits to feed, no hope, yet know they have so much to give….if only.

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;

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

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.

But Abraham said, Son remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedest thy good things, and likewise Lazarlus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou tormented.

 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 16:23-26)

Just how rich was that rich man?

He had no cell phone, no central heating for his home, no grocery store to conveniently send his servants to in order to acquire whatever was to be prepared for him, no bakery to send them to for the bread from which the crumbs begged for came.

By the standard of living for those in a large portion of this world, that rich man was poverty stricken and to be pitied and given as much assistance as he was willing to apply for simply because that assistance existed.

By those standards, judgment given him would be only that he refused to share what little he had, and that there was no need to do so.

God’s judgment is righteous and final.

Man’s judgment is temporal and conditional.

The same applies to man’s wisdom, man’s “Knowledge” and most certainly man’s plans and solutions to problems created by himself continually since the original fall from grace in Eden.

Those who claim they care, claim they seek change, claim a righteousness not their own, seek the solutions of men through passage of laws that are corrupt in nature and corrupt in execution, promoting those making those laws, negating the responsibility of the individual to meet that which Jesus said was second only to the complete belief and trust in His Father.

They, like that rich man are content to ignore the reality of the plight of their brethren, so long as it enriches themselves, either monetarily or by giving them the warm fuzzy of knowing they have promoted laws to provide for the needs, yet unwilling to take active part in providing those needs, and are perfectly willing to ignore needs to provide wants of those not in need at all, not impoverished of anything other than moral value, impoverished of soul, and in servitude to their own wants, still not seeing their own need.

“But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

And she said, Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

(Matthew 15:26-28)

Jesus saw need very differently, as this woman also referenced crumbs.

Both times mentioned, the crumbs sought were the simple love of the one asked.

One was refuted and denied, the other was granted and provided because of that same love that had been requested.

Crumbs are not necessarily garbage to be discarded, not just the remnants to be found in dumpsters, not merely worthless fragments fit only to give the pet that lives in the home that is given more love than that given to those in true need.

Even crumbs must however be sought after and asked for.

The dog that bites the hand that feeds it is unworthy of receiving those crumbs, and may not expect to continue to be fed, but may expect the denial of even those crumbs that were once offered.

Like the woman whose plaintive request was made in faith and belief and surety of having that request granted, I would be most content with the crumbs of the love of that Master.

I know, however, that crumbs are not what is received at all, but the full and complete banquet at His table, you see, I too once begged for crumbs of His love… and in return was given all of it.

It is that love on which I base all hope, all trust, all certainty of the salvation granted so long past, still present, eternally promised and present through the sacrifice made for me by Him.

It is that hand alone that may be trusted to feed and nourish not only body, but soul as well, and is equally available to all who simply ask.

I close, the same sinner saved by grace through faith in Him alone I have always been, and will be until perfected as change, final change is instituted and the corrupt body inhabited by the soul that belongs only to him is given the incorruption and righteousness promised through that faith.

 I must remain also the vigilant soldier called to His service, no matter how long allowed to serve, or how weary the body may become as the soul strives ever onward toward the day of that change, whether through the declaration that the time has come for all, or simply my own time is fulfilled and completed.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:12
 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen.
the Wayfarer