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Christ’s Object Lessons
in great need of help; for he was without friends, home, money, or
food. Yet he was allowed to remain in this condition day after day,
while the wealthy nobleman had every want supplied. The one who
was abundantly able to relieve the sufferings of his fellow creature,
lived to himself, as many live today.
There are today close beside us many who are hungry, naked, and
homeless. A neglect to impart of our means to these needy, suffer-
ing ones places upon us a burden of guilt which we shall one day
fear to meet. All covetousness is condemned as idolatry. All selfish
indulgence is an offense in God’s sight.
God had made the rich man a steward of His means, and it was his
duty to attend to just such cases as that of the beggar. The command
had been given, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (
Deuteronomy 6:5
); and
“thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (
Leviticus 19:18
). The rich
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man was a Jew, and he was acquainted with the command of God. But
he forgot that he was accountable for the use of his entrusted means
and capabilities. The Lord’s blessings rested upon him abundantly,
but he employed them selfishly, to honor himself, not his Maker. In
proportion to his abundance was his obligation to use his gifts for the
uplifting of humanity. This was the Lord’s command, but the rich
man had no thought of his obligation to God. He lent money, and
took interest for what he loaned; but he returned no interest for what
God had lent him. He had knowledge and talents, but did not improve
them. Forgetful of his accountability to God, he devoted all his powers
to pleasure. Everything with which he was surrounded, his round of
amusements, the praise and flattery of his friends, ministered to his
selfish enjoyment. So engrossed was he in the society of his friends
that he lost all sense of his responsibility to co-operate with God in
His ministry of mercy. He had opportunity to understand the word of
God, and to practice its teachings; but the pleasure-loving society he
chose so occupied his time that he forgot the God of eternity.
The time came when a change took place in the condition of the
two men. The poor man had suffered day by day, but he had patiently
and quietly endured. In the course of time he died and was buried.
There was no one to mourn for him; but by his patience in suffering he
had witnessed for Christ, he had endured the test of his faith, and at his