[1]Have you ever offended someone? Ever been offended? I’m guilty on both counts.
Just before I came to Christ, I didn’t much care if I offended another person. If they interfered with my goals or ambitions, look out. I didn’t care how carefully I talked when I was treated unkindly. Turn-about was fair play as far as I was concerned. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” I was so truthful I was brutally blunt. I remember challenging a Christian over lifestyle choices and know I was not the most diplomatic of people at the time. I rarely weighed my words. I did what I felt like doing.
After Christ, July 19, 1988, I changed. I began to care that I didn’t offend others with my words and actions. I considered the feelings of others even when I was hurt. I was careful with my words. I thought seriously about doing to others as I wanted others to do to me. I must have read 1 Corinthians 13 a hundred times and took it to heart that love was not rude, nor did it keep account of wrongs. It took work on my part to break some of my impulsive habits and to practice love. But in time, the LORD worked in me and I know that my conscience began to be clearer and clearer. At the end of the day, there were fewer and fewer times I felt guilty.
Since becoming a child of God, I pay more attention to how I speak to others…how I treat them. I find myself looking for more ways to encourage, than denigrate. To praise than criticize. To control my emotions than letting my emotions control me. The beauty in being a Christian is God shows us so much mercy and grace in our slips and stumbles. He cleanses us from all iniquity and has already paid the debt for our sinful nature.
With this in mind, it behooves me to show mercy and grace when another offends me. I usually get a bit more uptight when someone offends a friend or loved one of mine, than myself. But I have to bring all these feelings to God and recognize them for what they are. Pride. The how-dare-they attitude really has no place in the thought patterns of those who follow Jesus. After all…what did Jesus do when criticized, rejected, scorned, and mocked? He said, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Sadly, some people today know exactly what they are doing when they say things to offend, when they do things to get a rise out of us, to incite others to anger. Some people have no desire to be less offensive, or render mercy. But I can only control me and myself. I can only come to Jesus with my own weaknesses and flaws. Others must answer for themselves.
My prayer to God is that may He help me master the offensive nature I battle. May He fill me with His grace that I may pour out kindness, peace and love to others. All I want is more of You, LORD. Let me shine before man that I may bring glory to You and You alone.
