no-longer-a-slumdog

Chapter THREE
Open Your Eyes
Long ago there lived a very rich man. He was so wealthy he
could buy anything he wanted. His palace, beautifully adorned
with all sorts of luxury items, was the largest building for miles.
He was able to eat whatever his heart desired. His clothes were
stylish and clean, and he had numerous servants. In all his life, he
never knew a day of want.
On the street in front of his mansion lived a poor beggar.
The only clothes he had were the ones on his back, and they were
tattered. His hair was long and scraggly, and he was quite sick.
His body was covered with sores, so terrible and oozing that the
street dogs came and licked them. Every day he would sit in front
of the gates of the rich man’s estate, begging for scraps of food.
Then one day the poor beggar died, and angels carried him to
God’s paradise.
In time, the rich man also died. He went directly to hell. He
is there to this day, crying out in desperation for just one drop of
water to cool his tongue. The response he gets is always the same:
“You enjoyed your luxurious life on earth without one thought
about the helpless, defenseless beggar who sat by your gates.
Now see what has happened. You will suffer in hell and Lazarus,
the man you neglected, is in paradise with God. He will live in
absolute delight forever, and nothing can take this from him.