Watch a World Vision commercial, pass a homeless guy at an exit ramp, or even go to church and you’re tempted to cower in guilt.

It’s a big question here in wealthy America where our technology has put us in touch with nearly every person on the planet, most of whom will never earn as much in their lifetimes as most of us make in a year. And so we see ‘those people’ and sense some sort of obligation: Does Jesus really want me to give away everything? Won’t that make me like ‘them?’ Or, even worse, if I don’t, am I destined for eternal torment as suggested in Sunday’s Bible readings? These are some of the hardest questions many Christians face.

This Sunday we will study the story of the Poor Man (Lazarus) and the Rich Man (Dives). We will hear how the wealthy, extravagant, hard-hearted Dives ignored the sick and starving Lazarus who lived at his gate.  As a result, Lazarus went to a place of pleasure, and Dives went to a place of pain.

One of the things we will consider is that the breadth of our obligation may be limited. God clearly does not want us to help every person on the planet (how would we do that?). Our ministries may be ruled by our immediate moral proximity. In other words, the person in need, at my gate, may present a greater weight of obligation than the person in the postcard from Madagascar (which is not to say that some are not called to Madagascar!).

What this means is that our responsibility, which is essentially another word for wealth, is best concentrated on those whom God has placed right in front of us. Dives did not go to hell because he forgot the widows in Latvia, but because he ignored the poor man at his gate. Dives did not go to hell because he was rich, but because he wasn’t listening.

So are we giving enough? That discernment may best be engaged by looking around us and listening to the voices of need – realizing that giving it all away is not the best long-term strategy. There are obvious limits to what we can and should give.  Thinking those through can bring us peace, and can help bring that peace to those who need it most.

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Reading

The Good of Affluence – John Schneider

Luke for Everyone – NT Wright

Free- Mark Scandrette