Acts 26:14 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJ) And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Other translations use the word goads which is a noun whereas pricks is an adverb. A goad was used to turn oxen as they were driven in their work. Pricks is the feeling that resulted in the act of using the goad which had sharps that could pierce the hide of the ox.

In connection with yesterday’s comment, the pricking of our conscience is not unlike what Saul experienced. We can see that Saul was a zealot for the Law of Moses in which he was driven by his strict interpretation of the law as he was taught. What Saul did not understand was that while He was driven by our Lord he was going right while the Lord was trying to get him to go left.

That is a form of rebellion. Saul did not know that until he was confronted by Christ Himself.

The same goes for us when we violate the law of love, we are confronted by Christ Himself.

“That was not me loving those people, it was you acting alone and failing.”

That comment was not biblical, it was experiential. When we are confronted by our Lord it is a personal moment, not meant for anyone else but ourselves. We might have similar encounters based on our own actions but we must never assume that everyone else must adhere to our own personal convictions.

Paul is relating his experience in Acts 26:14. The next thing he shared was the Lord showing him the purpose behind this encounter. Since we are all different and all have a personal relationship with our Lord, it is our responsibility to discover the purpose behind the pricking of our conscience.