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By Hellen Kuleskey
The dictionary gives many shades of meaning to the words “offend” and “offenses.” We will consider only one—that of being hurt, insulted, grieved or wounded by what others have said or done to us.
All of us have, at one time or another, been offended—some more deeply than others. We should not rehearse our offenses, but concentrate on how we react to them. Our reaction determines our spiritual, emotional, physical and social well-being.
How does the human heart usually react to an offense? When our feelings are really hurt, we withdraw or get angry and often retaliate (get even). Some folks dwell on the offense until resentment and unforgiveness, far greater than the offense, consume them.
The Psalmist gives us God’s way of handling offenses. “Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble” (Psa. 119:165 Amp). Remember, God’s Word is “alive and full of power” (see Heb. 4:12). Through it our minds are renewed and our attitudes changed. By loving and obeying the Word, we become those who forgive and love. Not only will offenses lose their power to hurt us, our minds will be at peace.
There is another side to offenses. The Word also admonishes us not to offend others. The Apostle Paul in Rom. 14:21 tells us not to do anything (even eating and drinking) that would hurt a brother’s conscience, cause him to stumble or offend him. Asking God to be in charge of our daily lives—our actions, our thoughts and our speech—will keep us from offending others thoughtlessly and needlessly.
When an offense is brought to our attention, we must repent quickly and ask the offended person’s forgiveness because “a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city” (Prov. 18:19). We must not allow offenses (whether real or imagined) to bring disunity to the Body of Christ.
The dictionary gives many shades of meaning to the words “offend” and “offenses.” We will consider only one—that of being hurt, insulted, grieved or wounded by what others have said or done to us.
All of us have, at one time or another, been offended—some more deeply than others. We should not rehearse our offenses, but concentrate on how we react to them. Our reaction determines our spiritual, emotional, physical and social well-being.
How does the human heart usually react to an offense? When our feelings are really hurt, we withdraw or get angry and often retaliate (get even). Some folks dwell on the offense until resentment and unforgiveness, far greater than the offense, consume them.
The Psalmist gives us God’s way of handling offenses. “Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble” (Psa. 119:165 Amp). Remember, God’s Word is “alive and full of power” (see Heb. 4:12). Through it our minds are renewed and our attitudes changed. By loving and obeying the Word, we become those who forgive and love. Not only will offenses lose their power to hurt us, our minds will be at peace.
There is another side to offenses. The Word also admonishes us not to offend others. The Apostle Paul in Rom. 14:21 tells us not to do anything (even eating and drinking) that would hurt a brother’s conscience, cause him to stumble or offend him. Asking God to be in charge of our daily lives—our actions, our thoughts and our speech—will keep us from offending others thoughtlessly and needlessly.
When an offense is brought to our attention, we must repent quickly and ask the offended person’s forgiveness because “a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city” (Prov. 18:19). We must not allow offenses (whether real or imagined) to bring disunity to the Body of Christ.
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