by Whit Sasser<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/goad.jpg\")
A goad is an animal prod — a stick that is jabbed into the hind section of, say a plowing ox, to stimulate better forward movement. Almost instinctively, the animal may be aggravated by the prodding goad and kick against it. People can be the same way.<\/p>\n
In a figurative sense, people can be prodded by something said or done, and likewise, their instinct or natural response may at first be to resist it — in a sense, to kick against it. People do not like being goaded. But sometimes it may lead to a better end, especially if it is God\u2019s Providence at work.<\/p>\n
The apostle Paul, before being baptized into Christ, was exposed to some things said or done that Jesus knew were goading Saul (Paul\u2019s earlier name) and Jesus goes on to add that it was hard on him. “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads<\/em>” (Acts 26:14).<\/p>\n We can speculate as to what the goads were, but it would be just a guess. One fact, not at all a guess, is what Jesus says about Saul persecuting Jesus in connection with something goading him and Saul struggling with it — it was hard on him.<\/p>\n I wonder if in Paul persecuting Christians (Christ) and witnessing how they responded if that was getting to him? I wonder if this was a revelation to Saul — meaning he did not know this about himself, but that Jesus lay bare? But, whether Saul knew it or not, it was the case and it led to him being saved.<\/p>\n We, too, may go through similar experiences. Possibly it is even God in His Providence bringing us to our senses; to repent and believe the gospel of Christ. But, like Saul, we may, for a while, flail against the proddings of the Lord. If so, is it grievous to you? Is your conscience bothered? And will you respond like Saul and obey the gospel and change?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Whit Sasser A goad is an animal prod — a stick that is jabbed into the hind section of, say a plowing ox, to stimulate better forward movement. Almost instinctively, the animal may be aggravated by the prodding goad and kick against it. People can be the same way. In a figurative sense, people…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[1002,118,187],"class_list":["post-12768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-correction","tag-paul","tag-providence"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":37433,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/gods-providence\/","url_meta":{"origin":12768,"position":0},"title":"God’s Providence","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ken Green J. W. McGarvey, the great Restoration preacher and scholar of the 19th century, published two sermons on providence. One was based on the Genesis account of Joseph. The other was based on the book of Esther. Both narratives are permeated with the amazing and mysterious providence of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29612,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-providence-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":12768,"position":1},"title":"The Providence of God (Thornhill)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Thomas Thornhill Anyone who studies the Bible carefully comes face to face with the providence of God. His hand is seen in events that unfold throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. If one really believes the Bible one will also believe in the providence of God. Yet, many\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":67295,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-providence-of-god-and-miracles\/","url_meta":{"origin":12768,"position":2},"title":"The Providence of God and Miracles","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Osamagbe Lesley Egharevba via Unmasking Sophistry, Vol. 4, No. 2, April-June 2024 It is a common teaching among the Pentecostals that miracles exist today. We often hear various claims among different churches about certain miracles that were performed. Sadly, even among some members of the churches of Christ, there\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12981,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-meant-when-paul-said-we-are-by-nature-children-of-wrath\/","url_meta":{"origin":12768,"position":3},"title":"What is meant when Paul said we are by nature children of wrath?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 27, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In Ephesians 2:3 it talks about by nature we are children of wrath, My own opinion is that it's referring not to children, which is plain and clear, but to people who have already sinned. I'm trying to get this point across to my friend, but he believes in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34485,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-we-condemning-those-who-never-heard-the-gospel\/","url_meta":{"origin":12768,"position":4},"title":"Are We Condemning Those Who Never Heard the Gospel?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford I received the following question: \"I heard one yesterday I've been pondering. The man said that unless you believe in God you will be lost. So what about all those people who have never had the opportunity? I have him some answers but I'd be interested\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Yagua_Tribesman-300x253.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":16024,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-not-against-eating-meat-i-oppose-the-cruel-treatment-of-animals\/","url_meta":{"origin":12768,"position":5},"title":"I’m not against eating meat, I oppose the cruel treatment of animals","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 10, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have read your article on\u00a0Animal Rights and the Bible and it was enlightening.\u00a0 I am a Vegan and animal rights activist.\u00a0 I am not against people eating meat, I wish they wouldn't, but that is their choice.\u00a0 What I and all activists are opposed to here is the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12768"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12768\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}