Being Broke While Having Everything

By Gobel Brockman


There's a story in the sixteenth chapter of the book of Luke about a certain rich man, a man the Bible says was "clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day." In the eyes of the world, he was nothing but successful. He had it all - much unlike the other man in the story: a man named Lazarus who "laid at the rich man's gate, full of sores, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table." This man was so destitute that the Bible goes on to say that "dogs came and licked his sores." Unlike the rich man, this man was certainly seen as a failure in the eyes of a judgmental world. But there was one thing that these two men did have in common:

They both died.

After their deaths, the Bible says something quite different about both of them. The rich man found himself in a place we seem to rarely hear about any more - Hell. In Luke 16:23 it says that "In hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment..." He no longer "fared sumptuously." No more purple and fine linen, no more fancy, expensive meals, no more extravagant spending sprees, and no more adulation from an awestruck world. That was over. Now, he was experiencing nothing but judgment for an obviously evil and godless life. Lazarus, on the other hand, was now in the safety and comfort that comes with finding grace and favor from God instead of man.

This week I want to focus on the rich man. As I mentioned earlier, he had it all. He never had to worry about paying his bills. He never had to worry about going hungry. "Hand-me-downs" were not hanging in his closet. He had a secure existence in this world. What he obviously lacked, however, was a secure eternity. The bright lights and fancy glitter and of this world can sometimes blind us to the fact that everything that we have in this world is temporary. Just like the rich man and Lazarus, we also will one day wake up to our last day on this earth. One was ready, one was not.

Which category are you in?

The reason I'm talking about this is because, as we have all seen in the news, there have been several "celebrities" that have passed away in the last few weeks. These people, much like the rich man, "had it all" in the eyes of the world. Money, success, and all the benefits that come with worldly accomplishment. Sadly, however, each of them faced the day that we all will one day face. I can't help but wonder - and hope - that in their final hours they came to realize that true riches are only found in Jesus Christ. Even more, my prayer is that everyone reading this will take an honest look at their lives and see if they are truly rich. Ephesians 2:7 talks about "the riches of (God's) grace." My prayer is that all of you are truly rich. You see, there are those who are broke while it seems that they have everything, and others who are rich while it seems that they are broke.

Which category are you in?