A Personal Attack

A classic tactic when you want to undermine someone whom you vehemently oppose is (to use a sporting metaphor) to play the man, and not the ball. In other words, you attack the individual rather than his or her actions.

It’s something you see all the time – in politics certainly, in the workplace, in community groups as power plays unfold. In the classic British comedy “Yes Minister” the Machiavellian civil servant, Sir Humphrey Appleby, put it like this:

“First, you must establish that your man is a warm, generous human being. Then you point out that this is only a front, to cover up the fact that he is a cold, calculating politician.”

Clever, humorous … but right on the money. If you want to undermine the good things that someone’s doing, throw stones at the individual, not at their actions. Which is exactly what was going on here:

John 10:31-33 Again the Jews there picked up stones to kill Jesus. But he said to them, “The many wonderful things you have seen me do are from the Father. Which of these good things are you killing me for?” They answered, “We are not killing you for any good thing you did. But you say things that insult God. You are only a man, but you say you are the same as God! That is why we are trying to kill you!”

Jesus, of course, called them out on their little trick. “Of all the good things I’ve done, which one are you wanting to kill me for?” And, not long thereafter, they did kill Him.

These attacks on Jesus are still going on today. Don’t be fooled. Look at His goodness. Look at all that He said and did. Because friend, He came for you.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.