Doing it to Him

“Against Thee only have I sinned and done what is evil in Thy sight” (Psalm 51).

In David’s confession of his sin with Bathsheba, he didn’t say, “I have sinned against Uriah.”  David acknowledged he had sinned against God.

And when I recently read that passage, I thought of Saul.

The Pharisee was convinced that those who followed the heretic Jesus were a cancerous blight on civilization. They must be silenced. They would be silenced. And Saul would make sure of it.

So, foaming with rage, he made his way to Damascus to drag Christians to prison and -- if possible -- to execution.

You probably know the rest of the story. On his way to Damascus, a sudden burst of light knocked Saul off his feet. And then he 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 hadn't realized when he hurt Christians, he hurt Jesus. When he brutalized them, he brutalized Jesus. When he imprisoned them, he did it to Jesus.

This point is critically important  – one fraught with extraordinary ramifications.

When we hurt others, we hurt Jesus, for how we treat each other, the Lord Jesus warned, we treat Him (see Matthew 25:31-46). When we claw our way past others for better jobs or positions, we scrape Jesus’ flesh under our fingernails. When we turn our backs on the needy, we are turning our backs on the Savior. When we slander, cheat, or steal from others, we are attacking our Lord.

Yet another reason to seek God's grace, that He might teach us to guard our lips, our hands, our feet, that we not hurt others – and Him – again.