There was once a man who had everything a person could want in life. He had wealth, power, friends, material possessions; he had it all. He had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Everything went well for him. He had a beautiful wife, beautiful children and life was sweet.
There was another man who roamed the streets of the wealthy man. Life had not been so kind to him. He had suffered one trial after another. He had no home, no family, and not a nickel to his name. It seemed people had failed him in his life and left him broken. But he had peace about him, and always offered a kind word of encouragement to everyone who would take the time to speak to him, which was not often. Most people avoided the smelly old homeless man. Life had been truly bitter for him.
Then, one fateful day, there was a horrible traffic accident which ended both the wealthy man's and the homeless man's lives. But it was not their end. The wealthy man realized that he was in torment, but he could see the homeless man across a wide gulf. He was amazed by the man's transformation. The old man was young and an aura of peace of love surrounded him. He was in the most beautiful place the young man had ever seen. He didn't understand why he was in this horrible, ugly place while the man who had nothing on earth was in such supreme beauty. The young man called out, but it was not the old man who answered. “Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.” (Luke 16:25).
If we only tasted the sweetness of this life, if we never had to battle the demons of addiction, depression, unforgiveness, regrets, we would not feel the need for redemption … the need of a Savior. This was a wisdom Lazarus knew, even for all his tribulations; but the young man, in his arrogance, failed to grasp. All he had known of life had been sweet. He did not know how the bitterness of life helps our faith and peace to grow. “Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness; but You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.” (Is 38:17)
Jesus had to taste the bitterness of betrayal of His apostles when He needed them most. He had to taste the bitter wrath of His own people in the beatings from the Roman soldiers. He had to experience carrying His own cross to Calvary to die as a criminal. When He asked for just a little water, it was the bitterness of gall that was given to Him. In the end, He had to taste the bitterness of death and separation from God so that we could have the sweetness of spiritual freedom and life everlasting. The choice to live in bitterness or sweetness is ours.
What will you choose?