March 3
2019
Offense
Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. “And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” Luke 17:1-4
We are a society that is easily offended.
We are offended when we drive, when we shop, when we go out into the community.
We are offended by people we know.
We are offended at home by our families, our spouse and our children.
We are offended at Church.
We are offended at work.
We are offended by people we don’t know.
We are offended on social media, by the news and by what we read.
The Word of God clearly says that we are not to sit in offense.
First we need to learn that everything isn’t about us.
If everything isn’t about us, then we don’t have a reason to be so easily offended by everything and everyone we encounter.
If we are offended because something happens to actually be about us, we need to speak up.
Not to the world around us, but privately and directly to the one that we believe has caused the offence.
Then we need to forgive and move on.
And if this happens more than once you must continue to forgive and move on.
Offense causes broken relationship between us and other people and also between us and God. When we are sitting in offense and our relationships are broken, we cannot live and move in the abundant life Jesus has called us to.
Are you offended?
Is it actually about you?
Do you need to go and speak to someone privately?
Do you need to forgive someone and move on?
Whatever step you are at today, make a move.
Right relationships and abundant living are waiting.