Isaiah 58:9, one of the key verses on which the DWOD for Feb. 27 was based, included a reference to The Pointing Finger.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk…”

The placement of the pointing finger alongside such a weighty matter as doing away with the yoke of oppression underscores the seriousness with which God views our tendency to fix the blame on others.

The passage in Isaiah 58 went on to list the blessings such as these in verses 10 & 11 that come for those who refrain from, among other things, pointing the finger at others.

“Then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”

The desire to receive such blessings by itself should motivate us to refrain from the pointing finger.

But Jesus ups the ante by showing us how the principle of sowing and reaping works against us when we point the finger.

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:37-38)

We have often used verse 38 to encourage giving in our services and revival meetings.

Yet, it is difficult to ignore the fact that “giving” in the original context referred to giving judgment, condemnation and forgiveness first and foremost!

In other words, when we point the finger, we judge.

When we judge, we are judged in return.

The judgment that comes back to us is compounded “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over.”

Not exactly a pleasant prospect, is it?

No wonder God urges His people to refrain from the pointing finger. As does Jesus. Like Father, like Son!

I am not sure who was the first to, er, point this out, but you have probably heard this saying: “When you point your finger at someone, just remember that there are three fingers pointing back at you.”

The graphic accompanying this DWOD illustrates this quite vividly, doesn’t it?

Those of us who are following The Joel 2 Fast this Lent are reading and responding to the words of King David in Psalm 51 for the next five days beginning today (March 1).

It is generally acknowledged that these words were penned as David repented from his adulterous and murderous affair with Bathsheba.

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” (Psalm 51:3-4)

Clearly, David is painfully aware of the Three Pointing Fingers.

Thus, the only proper response is to pray as he does in verses 1-2 of the same Psalm:

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”

Shall we follow suit?