The haves and the have-nots ∙∙∙

The haves and the have-nots ∙∙∙

A great chasm is fixed so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able and that none may cross over from there to us. – Luke 16:26

Luke 16:19-31

19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.”
20 “At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores.”

22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried,”
23 “and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.”
24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’”
25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.’”

26 “‘And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’”
27 “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home.’”
28 “For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’”
29 “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’”
30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’”
31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Divided by Badges, United by Truth

In 2021, a peculiar social phenomenon emerged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, one that went beyond health concerns—Vaccine Envy. This cultural epidemic led to heightened vaccine anxiety and changed the way society functioned, centering interactions on whether someone had been vaccinated. What unfolded next further divided humanity into two distinct groups—the “haves” who had received the vaccine and the “have-nots” who had not.

For the vaccinated, life began to resemble fragments of pre-pandemic normalcy. Gyms, restaurants, travel, and social gatherings became privileges for those who could prove their vaccination status. This created the contours of a two-tiered society, echoing the dynamics of separation that the world had sought to overcome.

Denmark, for example, introduced the “green badge,” which was awarded only to individuals who had been vaccinated. This badge granted access to public spaces like gyms, hotels, and pools. Similarly, Israel implemented “vaccine passports,” allowing vaccinated individuals to travel freely and reenter the global tourism sphere. Meanwhile, IBM developed a “digital health pass” to help organizations verify vaccination status before granting access to sporting events, workplaces, or public venues.

Regulatory bodies like the CDC reinforced this divide by promoting guidelines that granted immunity privileges. Fully vaccinated individuals could gather indoors or outdoors without masks—so long as everyone in attendance was also fully vaccinated. Yet for the unvaccinated, those glimpses of normalcy remained just out of reach, and societal interactions were riddled with friction.

History Repeats Itself

How ironic that in an age of progressing social awareness and deliberate efforts to dismantle class structures, an entirely new division was erected. New badges emerged, each a status symbol dictating the haves and have-nots in a modern context. Society was bifurcated anew. The catchphrase of the day demanded “your-papers-please.” Proof of vaccination came to represent inclusion, much like the possession of material wealth defined access in centuries past.

Even more paradoxical was Israel’s pivotal role in implementing “green badges,” given its painful legacy with mandatory badges in the past. Throughout history, Jewish people wore “yellow badges,” marked with the Star of David, to identify them as outsiders. From forced badges in the Middle Ages to the Holocaust’s deeply dehumanizing yellow insignia, these markers symbolized division and ostracism. They indicated they were the have-nots, the outsiders. How strange it was, then, that badges would make a resurgence—albeit for different reasons—and draw lines anew.

This time, however, the division was not based on ancestry but on something society framed as a choice. Yet the result was eerily similar—separation, privilege, and exclusion.

REFLECT & PRAY

There is a tendency among people to set expectations regarding what God must do for them so that they might be willing to believe. They already have all the Truth they need through Moses, the prophets, and the New Testament. Yet, how many people will say that if I had known the Truth, they would have acted differently?

Father, thank You for making Truth accessible to everyone so that they might repent, believe, and be saved. Thank You for touching the hearts of Your children and leading them to Your grace.

INSIGHT

A Tale of Two Destinies

In Luke 16, the Lord Jesus told the parable of a rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. Their lives were worlds apart, divided by class, wealth, and health. The rich man lived in luxury and ignored suffering Lazarus, who lay at his gate, longing for scraps from his table. Though their lives intersected, their fates were eternally separated, first by indifference and later by faith—or the lack of it.

Both men eventually died and arrived in Hades, the realm of the dead. Yet again, an impassable chasm lay between them. This time, the division wasn’t about their earthly status but the condition of their hearts. There, once again, they are separated by a great chasm. But this time, the separation is based upon the response to the truth of the Word of God. Lazarus, who had faith, was carried to Abraham’s bosom, a place of comfort. The rich man, who ignored the Truth, found himself in torment.

The Consequences of Choice

One might ask, “How could a loving Father send someone to a place of torment?” Yet the heart of this parable isn’t about divine judgment as much as it’s about personal responsibility. The separation in Hades is the direct result of choices made during life. God didn’t place the rich man in torment—his own unbelief did. He had heard the Scriptures, which consistently pointed to the coming Messiah who saves people from sin. He chose to dismiss that Truth and his hard-heartedness sealed his fate.

It’s ironic that the rich man only begins to pray in Hades only after facing the consequences of his choices. From his place of suffering, he calls out to Abraham, pleading for mercy and relief. He even requests that Lazarus—whom he ignored during life—be sent to warn his brothers so they might avoid the same outcome (Luke 16:30). His newfound concern for others might seem noble at first. However, Abraham’s reply reveals an essential truth about human nature and disbelief.

Hearing but Not Heeding

Abraham tells the rich man, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16:31). This statement underscores a sobering reality—miracles cannot cure willful unbelief. At any given moment, every person has access to enough Truth through Scripture to recognize their need for repentance and salvation. But if someone refuses to act on the Truth, they already have, no additional evidence will convince or change them.

The underlying issue is not the lack of Truth but the condition of the heart. A hardened heart, resistant to God, clings to darkness rather than turning to light. The rich man failed to respond to the Truth in life, and now it was too late. Similarly, his brothers already had the message of Moses and the Prophets—the Word of God guiding them to salvation. Whether they would believe it or ignore it was up to them.

John 3 reminds us of the eternal implications of belief and unbelief. John 3:36 says, “And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

The truth is out there for anyone and everyone to find and accept. Every person has the opportunity to see and accept the Truth. But that opportunity has a definitive expiration—the end of life on Earth.

Accepting the Greatest Opportunity

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is not just a story about two vastly different individuals; it’s a reflection of how we respond to the greatest of opportunities. The Father sent His Son not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17). Those who respond in faith step into the light, receiving eternal life. But those who cling to sin and reject the light remain in darkness, separated by their own choices.

Galatians 6:8 gives us this simple yet powerful reminder, “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will reap everlasting life from the Spirit.”

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus invites us to examine our lives and choices. It challenges us to consider what awaits us when life on Earth reaches its conclusion. The time to act is today—tomorrow is never guaranteed. Faith is the bridge that connects us to the eternal promise of life with the Father. Don’t procrastinate. No one knows their expiration date until it’s too late.

In John 3:17-20 the Lord Jesus Christ laid out the facts for all to consider: God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

The judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it, fearing their sins will be exposed.

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© Dr. H 2025