The Man of Great Wealth
Give, and it will be given to you.
A good measure, pressed down, shaken
together, and running over, will be
poured into your lap. For with the
measure you use, it will be measured
to you. Luke 6:38
There once lived a man of great wealth.
He had been born a rich man, and over the
years, had invested his inheritance to amass an even greater fortune.
This man lived in a stately mansion,
secluded, by a beautiful flowing river.
Each year, he would study the financial
reports of the Fortune 500 companies,
evaluate and select those companies which
promised to yield the best returns.
One day, a Pastor from a nearby town came calling.
The Pastor was in the process of building a larger church, and made an
appeal to the wealthy man to come and join them, and to consider offering
a donation.
The man slammed the door in the Pastor's face. "Just another one of those
Christians, always asking for money," he thought to himself.
On another day, as he was conducting business downtown, a homeless man
approached him, holding out a sign, asking
for food or work. The wealthy man brushed him quickly aside, paying no
heed.
Several years later, a child was found
near his property. The child was cold, hungry, and shabbily clothed. A cry
for help arose from the townspeople to help this child and her family. He
refused to give anything.
Not long after, upon a cold, raw winter's day, the chill that filled the air
outside his mansion began to permeate his body, as well. He became so ill that he had
to have the attention of a local physician.
The physician came to his home, checked him over, and gave him the grim news that
he was terminally ill. The man was devastated as to how this could happen to him.
It seems that a cargo ship had tragically had an accident, off the coast,
spilling oil (from the oil company he had invested in),
and chemicals (which he had also invested in), which had trickled from the
ocean into the river's stream, which flowed by his home.
Slowly, this blend of chemicals had so saturated the air that he was breathing,
and caused much damage to his lungs over a period of months, damage which was
irreparable.
Upon his deathbed, he realized that all of his investments which he had made, had
come back to haunt him.
Jesus Christ had entered his life, on several occasions, and he had not offered
anything. He had turned Him away, in his selfishness and greed.
Our Lord Jesus meets us in our needs, and He greets us in the needs of others.
If He knocks upon your door today, as a stranger, in need, don't turn Him away.
Whenever He greets you, answer His call.
If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, but does
nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?" James 2:16
© 2002 Sandra Lewis Pringle, author of "Singing Loudly
as Lions Roar", to be available in February, 2002.
Author of Morning Glorythoughts Daily Devotionals.
All Rights Reserved, on this work.
Ministry of the Bleeding Heart
Copyright © 2002 Sandra Lewis Pringle. All rights reserved.
Please obtain permission granted from author before using for any purpose.
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