Driving Another Nail
Foaming with rage, Saul made his way to Damascus to drag Christians to prison and, if possible, execution. As far as he was concerned, those who followed the heretic Jesus were a cancerous blight on civilization. They must be silenced. They would be silenced. Saul would make sure of it.
You probably know the rest of the story. On his way to Damascus, Saul was knocked off his donkey and heard the thunderous accusation: Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting (Acts 8).
Until that moment, the zealot didn't understand when he hurt Christians, he was hurting Jesus. When he brutalized them, he brutalized Jesus.
This is a critically important lesson fraught with extraordinary ramifications. Think of it. Though we don’t go around killing Christians, there are many other ways we hurt our brethren. And in so doing, we hurt Jesus.
How we treat each other, the Lord Jesus warned, we treat Him (see Matthew 25:31-46). When we scratch and claw our way past brothers and sisters in Christ for better jobs or positions, we do so as if scraping Jesus’ flesh under our fingernails. When we lash out againt our spouse or children, it's as if we're ripping into His skin. When we turn our backs on the needy child of God, we turn our backs on the Savior. When we slander His children, it's as if we're hammering nails into His hands once again.
When David confessed his sin with Bathsheba, he didn’t say, “I have sinned against Uriah” (her husband). David recognized the truth: “Against thee, thee only have I sinned and done what is evil in thy sight” (Psalm 51).
The Lord takes our actions and words personally, as if we do them to Him.
That's a scary thought -- which is why I pray, "Lord, I don’t want to drive another nail. I don’t to draw any more of your blood. Help me guard my lips, hands and feet before I hurt others – and You – again. Amen "
Rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net
You probably know the rest of the story. On his way to Damascus, Saul was knocked off his donkey and heard the thunderous accusation: Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting (Acts 8).
Until that moment, the zealot didn't understand when he hurt Christians, he was hurting Jesus. When he brutalized them, he brutalized Jesus.
This is a critically important lesson fraught with extraordinary ramifications. Think of it. Though we don’t go around killing Christians, there are many other ways we hurt our brethren. And in so doing, we hurt Jesus.
How we treat each other, the Lord Jesus warned, we treat Him (see Matthew 25:31-46). When we scratch and claw our way past brothers and sisters in Christ for better jobs or positions, we do so as if scraping Jesus’ flesh under our fingernails. When we lash out againt our spouse or children, it's as if we're ripping into His skin. When we turn our backs on the needy child of God, we turn our backs on the Savior. When we slander His children, it's as if we're hammering nails into His hands once again.
When David confessed his sin with Bathsheba, he didn’t say, “I have sinned against Uriah” (her husband). David recognized the truth: “Against thee, thee only have I sinned and done what is evil in thy sight” (Psalm 51).
The Lord takes our actions and words personally, as if we do them to Him.
That's a scary thought -- which is why I pray, "Lord, I don’t want to drive another nail. I don’t to draw any more of your blood. Help me guard my lips, hands and feet before I hurt others – and You – again. Amen "
Rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net
posted by rich at
11:37 AM
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