DON’T TAKE IT
HUMAN BEINGS HAVE A GREAT TENDENCY TO ACCEPT OR TAKE NICE GIFTS FROM LOVE ONES AND FRIENDS AND TEND TO REJECT OR turn down bad gifts from them. One thing I cant understand, why we are so willing to accept offenses from people which is far of worse than rejecting a gift you don’t like.
Too many times, we want to carry with us every where we go the offenses we receive from people like the offense is part of us. We sometimes take it to church, school, and even give it to friends to carry to which is more destructive because that’s a seed we are sowing in them.
WHAT IS OFFENSE?
As defined in the dictionary, an upsetting feeling. I have made this definition: words spoken to or about a person or actions taken that displease or hurt ones feelings. For someone to be offended, something most times have to be said.
Let me ask a question, should we do or say something to cause someone to be offended according to scriptures? Off course not.
TYPES OF OFFENSE
As long as we live on planet earth, offenses are things we cannot stop Luke17:1. Jesus himself told us that offenses will come, so we must always acknowledge that we are all open to it.
1. Real offense: This is when someone does or say something to you willingly to hurt your feelings.eg when Jesus was tempted by satan after fasting.
2. Accidental offense: This is when someone does or say something to someone not willingly with the intension to bring hurt but rather just joking around, or say something in one context and the other person takes it differently.
3. Imaginary Offense: This is when someone just imagines that someone has said something bad about them or thinks that someone is saying things about them with out any evidence.
HOW IS ONE OFFENDED?
Someone is offended only when they get their focus off the word of God and fails to accept what Gods word says about them and willingly accepts what others say to them. Psalms 119: 165 tells us great peace have they which love the law of God and nothing shall offend them
HOW TO RESPOND WHEN OFFENDED
Many times instead of responding in a positive fashion when offended, we tend to behave just like the people of the world. Often times we try to get even with the person who offends us. Any time we get even with our offenders, we become a slave to them because the Bible tells us whatsoever that controls us we are a slave to it.When offended we should:
1. Reflect back on the word of God because that’s our guide Psalms 119:165
2. Seek God and find out what he is teaching you in this situation
3. Respond quietly because proverbs 15:1 tells us a soft answer turns away wrath
4. Never seek to offend back because Luke 17:1 says woe unto the person through whom offense come.
5. At times its better if we just move away from the offender without any hatred in your heart because Matthew 18:8 says if thy hand or thy feet offend thee ,cut them off and cast them from thee.
6. Guard your heart with all diligence because out of it comes the issues of life. The heart is the most sensitive part of our being so we should always protect it.
7. Refuse to take any offense because Jesus commanded us not to .John16:1
HOW NOT TO CAUSE OFFENSE
1. First obey Gods word which tells us not to offend others.
2. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but only that which is good to the edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29
3. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt that you may know how you have to answer every man. Colossian 4:6 .(read it)
4. Start loving people because if you truly love someone you will not want to hurt their feelings.
5. We must trust God to help us not to offend people and pray to God to set a watch before our mouth and to keep the door of our lips. Psalms 141:3
In closing , don’t take offense cause the devil is as a roaring lion walking about seeking souls he may devour so when you recognize the spirit of offense bind it and cast it out in the name of Jesus. You have all the power and authority to do so and lets do like the apostle paul to forget those things which are behind; forget what people have said and press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.