Offenses will come!
Updated: Aug 18
Offenses. We have them. Everyone has them. We are all offended by something or someone. If someone says something or does something we don’t like or disagree with, we are offended. Let’s stop it. Just stop being offended.
Why are we so easily offended? None of us are perfect. We all fail, say wrong things, do stupid things, and say and do things we regret. We're all guilty. So why are we so offended by things other people do and say? It would help if we would agree that everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Often we share our opinions about something, then later, we are able to see the situation from a different perspective, and our opinions change. We see the light and realize how wrong we were. I've had that happen, and I regretted my earlier words. I'm sure everyone has that happen, so we need to give each other a break. We need to mature and be strong for our own sake and for the sake of those around us, especially those we love and those over whom we have influence.
Someone offends us, and we stew on it for days or even years. It changes us. We cannot see that person or think of that situation without feeling hurt and angry. Proverbs 19:11 says, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” But it’s hard to overlook an offense! We want to keep it next to our hearts, chew on it, take it out and polish it, and sit it in our trophy case with all our other trophies. It’s mine! MINE! And it destroys our testimony. It destroys our relationships with those we think caused the offense. It destroys us.
God gave us a way to do the hard thing and overcome offenses. Matthew 5:23-24 says, “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Thus, we know that it is important to God for us to overlook offenses. If it is important enough for Jesus to address, then it’s for our good since everything He says and does is for our benefit. That’s how much he loves us.
So let ‘em go. Turn ‘em loose. Ignore them. Yes, it’s hard, but we can do it. For our own sake and the sake of everyone around us, refuse to allow offense in your life.