Luke 6:19-26
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Lazarus had wanted just some crumbs. He wasn’t hoping for much, just something that might fall to the ground unnoticed and unwanted by a man who had such an abundance. Just one crumb to make the smallest dent in his gnawing hunger, to offer the smallest sliver of relief for his suffering. But it seems that this man who lived in luxury was not willing to give much, if anything, to the sickly beggar outside his door.

So how ironic, then, that when the rich man finds himself in hell and the torments of it, he wants merely a crumb, one drop of water to soothe, for the shortest moment, the agony of those flames. But it was an impossible request. He was separated from the luxury of paradise that Lazarus now enjoyed, and there was no relief to be found. He had made his choices during his life, and now he would face the consequences of them.

Just a crumb is all it takes. One crumb from Jesus, the Bread of Life, and we gain eternal life. One morsel of this life-giving food is all we need to avoid joining the rich man in hell and instead spend eternity in the luxury of heaven in the presence of God Himself. Unlike this stingy rich man, Jesus gives abundantly. He multiplies the loaves. He satiates and satisfies and gives more than enough so we are filled with all the goodness that He offers to us. We won’t go away hungry if we come like a beggar before His door and receive the precious bread of His own sacrifice that He willingly made for our sakes so we could have new life in Him.