A Gulf Between Comfort and Regret

Scripture

Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus in like manner evil things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.’ …. He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” (Luke 16:25-30 NRSV)

A Gulf Between Comfort and Regret

“Regrets I’ve had a few, and then, too few to mention” is my memory of a line from the hit song identified with Frank Sinatra, “I Did It My Way”. It’s an anthem for many – live “my” way and no regrets. Vladimir Putin could sing it while riding his horse shirtless and destroying people “his way”, regardless of international norms of behaviour between nations. 

The cartoon character “Mr. Magoo” wandered through life creating wreckage and confusion everywhere he went because of his impaired vision. It feels like a lot of us are in the same boat and are likely to have some regrets when life is over. Jesus tapped into that important life issue with his parable about a lover of money and the rich man who was placed at his front door to rummage in his dumpster for table scraps.  

Jesus painted a sort of Karmic balance in his story about their afterlife. One in comfort, the other in torment of regrets both for ignoring the poor man and leading his siblings to do likewise. And uncomfortable biggest regret – he can’t warn his family of the errors that got him in this mess. 

We have all the resources we need for life and loving God and neighbour but we need constant reminding of our need to keep our vision clear and our hearts in good space with Jesus. 

A Prayer for Today

Loving God, you shed comfort and ease to be one of us. Remind us that the comfortable life can be the life of emptiness and regrets. Let me clearly see those you pave on my path to serve more than scraps of life. Keep me from regrets through kindness and mercy  …. For Jesus’ sake