The first time that I read this and it really caught my eye,
I was left dumbfounded by what it meant. What is kicking against the goads and
why did Jesus say it on that day when He met Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus? I believe that the saying must have carried a
certain importance to Paul for him to share it in his telling of the encounter
to King Agrippa in Acts 26.
It really wasn’t too hard to find an historical explanation
as to the origin of the phrase “kick against the goads”. A goad was a long
pointed prod used by farmers to guide their team of oxen through the fields.
The idea was that a well-trained ox would know by a gentle poke that you
desired for it to begin working or to turn one way or the other. The amount of
pain inflicted by this poke would be very low. The goad was not intended to
harm the oxen; rather it was intended to guide the oxen. However, an ox that
was still being trained would often feel the poke and, instead of walking or
turning away from the poke, it would kick back at it in aggression or confusion.
Often, this would lead to a much more significant poke than the farmer had
intended, perhaps even causing significant harm to the ox.
So why did Jesus use this phrase with Saul? I believe it was
a warning. Saul was being given fair notice that his response to the encounter
on the road to Damascus would either lead him into the plans that God had for
him. Or it would lead him to his destruction. As we see that Saul was rendered
blind at Jesus’ word, we also know that it was temporary blindness on the
condition of Saul’s submission and obedience. Had Saul not submitted to God and
gone to Damascus as instructed, would he have spent the rest of his life blind?
Or worse? I believe so! (“Correction is grievous unto him that forsakes the
way: and he that hates reproof shall die.” Proverbs 15:10)
Submission… That is the word we should take from the phrase “it
is hard for you to kick against the goads”. God loves us enough to use our
surroundings and circumstances to gently prod us towards His plan for our
lives. When we submit to His will those prods become our guidance rather than
just a source of pain or discomfort for us. However, if we fight against His guidance
and His will, we are only doing more harm to ourselves.
Maybe God is prodding at you. Maybe you think God is
punishing you for some reason. Maybe you don’t even associate the afflictions
of your life as God’s prodding at all. I know that when we are going through
hard times it can be easy to lash out in response. But please, just consider
for one moment what reasons there could be for the things you find yourself
going through. Perhaps you are being guided into a place where the pain that
you have gone through will be used for some good? (“And we know that all things
work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28)
I will leave you with this thought. When an ox plows a field
it is sharing in the labour of its sustenance. Those fields may grow grains and
hay that will be used to nourish those same oxen. When we submit to the will of
God and “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33) He will supply our every
need.
Mike
