The Prime Victim

In Mat 9:2, Jesus tells the paralytic man that his sins have been forgiven. Now wait! This paralytic man like any of us could have wronged a lot of people, but how can Jesus write away all his wrongs. Only the victim can forgive the wrongs. But we may say that He is God and therefore can forgive. The Jews in Jesus's time too,like us, thought God can forgive except that they were not willing to believe that this Jesus was God. "Who can forgive sins but God alone? (Luk 5:21)"

But there could be others who question the Christian Gospel on the grounds that how could even God simply wipe away all of one's sins when one has wronged so many people in his lifetime. The reason why Jesus can forgive sins is because he suffers along with any victim. He is the suffering God who suffers with his children in the world.

Consider Jesus's statements about judgment day: "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.(Mat 25:37-40)' Similarly he tells that those on the left also will answer "'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.(Mat 25:44,45)' He makes it plain that the good we do to the least in the family, neighbourhood or society, we do it to him, and the good we deny to the least, we deny it to him. He is impacted positively or negatively by all our deeds.

Consider Paul's caution to the labourer and to the housewife: "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord (Eph 5:22)". "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free (Eph 5:5-8)". These are just 2 illustrations by Paul to highlight the fact that whatever we do on earth, impact our Lord. Not just the wife's obedience or the worker's service but a whole lot of other acts that we do, actually reach our Lord and impact him.

Probably to highlight this fact, our Lord shows the prodigal son as pleading to his father, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you (Luk 15:18)". Joseph seemed to know that committing adultery with Potiphar's wife is not just sin against her husband but also against God. "My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God? (Gen 39:9)"

Let us know for sure this day, that whatever we do, impacts the Lord. May the Lord give us this understanding, and let this knowledge keep us from sinning against our Lord, in all that we say and do.