Son,rememberthat in your lifetimeyou received your good things,whileLazarus received bad things,butnow he is comforted hereandyou are in agony.Luke16:25 (read 16:19-31) - NIVTheerror of the rich man was that he was living on a "fantasyisland" which is a world of false reality. He did not realizethat even though he was surrounded by walls of separation from theoutside, the life of the beggar, Lazarus, on the outside would affecthim deeply. By ignoring Lazarus in his misery, the rich man wouldbecome even more miserable than the poor sufferer. He was unable toavoid the "Lazarus effect". When he realized themistake, it was too late! There was no fixing.Therich man tripped over Lazarus. In death Lazarus was lifted up toparadise while the rich man found himself in the agonies of inferno.His relative prosperity was an illusion. In the long run our welfaredepends on the welfare of others. By ignoring the less fortunate thanourselves we are eventually harming ourselves. The powerful cannotremain on top of the heap at the cost of the weak forever. In the endour well-being depends on that of others. Ignoring this law ofexistence is to invite future tragedy. Time levels all things in thelaw of the universe.Todaywe are witnessing the drama of the rich man and Lazarus on a globalscale. The director of the drama is the god of globalization, Profit!On the stage of planet Earth there are passing unprecedented figures:predatory plundering of non-renewable resources of nature,trafficking in narcotics, counterfeit drugs, looting of publiccoffers, the replacement of hand labor by technology, thefts, fraudsof all species. All is being done in the name of god Profit! Theimmediate results are wars and generalized terrorism. Back of all theexploitation and conflicts is a small group of powerfully rich peoplewho are enriching themselves by creating billions of Lazarus people.Inthe end, the exploiters will also pay the price for their greed.It will be the "Lazaruseffect".Therich man's "fantasy island" paradise turned into the fireof infernal suffering. Lazarus hell-on-Earth was transformedinto a feast of heaven. Death was the great leveler ofbeings.Weare all building a paradise or a hell. The "Lazarus effect"applies to all and in all spheres of life, including the spiritual.ManyChristians have a habit of thinking that salvation is just for them!They live within the walls of their "isms" with theirprivate God who they think is protecting them from the "LostWorld" and other belief systems. Jesus told this story togood people, convinced of their own salvation and spiritualsuperiority. The Lazarus people of life were also listening andgetting a message of hope. The Lazarus people are the ultimatewinners.LUKE16:19-31 - NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)Therewas a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived inluxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus,covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the richmans table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.Thetime came when the beggar died and the angels carried him toAbrahams side. The rich man also died and was buried. InHades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham faraway, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him,