Do No Harm

"Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.  As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” – Acts 9:1-4

Do you hear the love of Jesus’ voice in His words to Saul?  “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Jesus said to him as he was on his way to capture more Christians.  Saul had not laid a hand on Jesus, but on those that believed in Him.  Yet Jesus said that Saul was persecuting Him.

Jesus cares for those that believe in Him with such passion!  Those that hurt us or seek to harm us He sees as His own enemies.  And He doesn’t sit idly by and watch as we are torn down by their words and actions toward us.  He takes note of every crime against us. 

Psalms 105 talks of God’s faithfulness to His people.  It speaks of how He gave the land of Canaan to them, and says in verses 11-15:

“To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance,” When they were few in number, indeed very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another,
from one kingdom to another people,  He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.”

Jesus did what He saw God doing at all times (John 5:19).  God was instructing His every move, and every thought.  He took on our persecution as His own because He had seen God do it with the Israelites when He gave them Canaan. 

If Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever - and we are told in Hebrews 13:8 that He is - I think it would be wise for us to consider how personally He takes the acts of persecution against His people.  In any family there are times when we find it hard to get along.  The family of God is no different.  But we should handle how we act in those times because we are called to be different.

Words spoken against a brother or sister in Christ are taken personally by Christ.

Anger and resentment against our fellow Christians are felt as anger and resentment against Him.

Love one another, even has He has loved us.  Extend to others the grace and mercy that you have so freely enjoyed.