The Wise and the Foolish

At the very moment Abraham is about to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, God’s voice is heard telling him not to lay a hand on the boy. The rich man dressed in purple and feasted every day, while at his gate lay Lazarus, covered with sores and left there to his fate.

Whether Abraham obeyed or not, God had already provided a ram to die in Isaac’s place. To obey is to receive that grace as a blessing and enjoy it; to disobey is to turn the very same grace into a curse. The rich man made a show of his faith in purple and fine linen, yet in truth he was a fool who did nothing to relieve his brother in need, while Lazarus, poor all his life, was carried at his death to Abraham’s side.

God’s purpose is not to make people’s lives go well but to keep them faithful. Since he hears everything, even the grumbling of the heart and the words whispered in the bedroom, the wise are those who are not idle but give thanks and obey his word.