“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus…” Luke 16:19,20
The parable above that Jesus speaks, is the only parable in which a man (Lazarus), is specifically named. The reasons why are profound, and carries immense weight for you and me today. So why was Lazarus named, while the other man in the parable was simply described as being rich?
It’s very simple, and very sobering. You see, for the unnamed man, his riches were his identity. The things he worked for all his life, the things he could purchase, the things he could enjoy because of his riches were the very things he gained his identity, value, and worth from. You and I have grown up in a country whose prosperity and riches are what defines us. For this reason, it is very easy for you and me to begin to equate our identity with the things we have and not the Person who has saved us from our sin. Perhaps for you, how you view yourself is tied to your social status, education level, family, job, etc… It could even be tied to your own view of morality; meaning you think you have value and worth simply because you are a “good person.” The terrible problem is, that at the end of the day, like the rich man above, if your identity is based on things, you will be left with no identity throughout eternity. In other words, Jesus doesn’t know this man. Jesus knows those who are his, and this man is left without a name, and is only described by the false things he used during his life to find his worth in, and give himself to.
On the other hand, Lazarus is named. Jesus knows this man by name! For Lazarus, his identity was not based on his social status, his education, or income level; his identity was in Christ. The result for Lazarus was real life in Christ, for eternity. The question for you and me is: What will we really gain our dignity, our value, and our worth from? Will it be based on who and what Jesus says you are, or will you gain your dignity, value, and worth from created things rather Creator God?
Of course, we all will struggle with this reality throughout our Christian walk. We will have times in which we experience identity drifting. So what do we do when we realize that we have been gaining our feelings of worth and accomplishment through things instead of Christ? Just simply repent, and turn back to the only thing that we truly need to gain our worth from: Jesus Christ, and the Word of God. As we take in God’s Word it washes us, and re-orientates us back on the sure foundation of the Rock. As we receive grace, and walk in mercy, the realization comes that it is not about who we are, or about what we can achieve, but rather it becomes about who Jesus is, and what He has achieved! The result is a life that is empowered by the Spirit to accomplish the will of the Father for the glory of God. You see, if our identity is in anything but Christ, yours and my life will be all about our wills, and our own glory!
So be encouraged today to re-orient yourself back on the living God, our great God and Savior Jesus Christ!
