borrowed offense

[B-A-C]

It seems everyone is offended by something or someone these days. I suppose I am as guilty of this as anyone.

It seems to me, that sometimes we look for reasons to be upset. Bare with me for a minute. Example:...

Someone says something that my friend doesn't like. It wasn't really even personally against my friend. But someone didn't like the car he drove, or who he voted for, or the school he went to,
or the church he goes to, ... or it could be anything really. .. and so my friend gets upset. Well, OK.. I guess sometimes that's OK. But then later he calls me and tells me his story, and I get upset.
(Like I need another reason to be upset) This story had nothing to do with me, nobody insulted me, nobody offended me, but now I am upset. Why?

I'm not saying we can't stick up for our friends if someone wrongly accuses them of something or someone attacks their character. But do we really need to get upset just because
someone insulted the school he used to go to? (Well, he IS my friend after all!) Sticks and stones. Maybe we get offended way too easily. Maybe sometimes we look for reasons to be offended.
Many Christians watch "reality TV" just so we can take a side and be offended about something. Something that usually doesn't matter much in God's priorities.
Someone doesn't like the band you like, someone doesn't like the sports team you like, someone doesn't like the way you worship.... who cares? Does God like it, then that's enough for me.

It seems to me, we have enough problems of our own in this world, do we really need to go out and find reasons to have more anxiety, anger, offense, or disputes?

I think sometimes, we want someone to "take our side" in the argument or debate at hand. There are times we should do this, but if it's simply because someone got offended or
someone's feelings got hurt, should we jump in and become part of the problem ourselves? Maybe we all need to chill, step back and take a breath. Maybe stopping to pray before
we swing that next axe or throw that next rock. Maybe we need to take a look at the log in own eye, before taking offense at the splinter in someone else's eye?

Even if the attack isn't against us, and it's someone we know, maybe we shouldn't always take offense at something not directed at us.

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings Brother,

no offence, but....

I read something the other day about a chap who was involved in a war and was a medic. The chap went into the open battlefield and was caring for wounded soldiers from both sides. In amazement and possibly in honour, fighting stopped while he busied himself doing so.

Usually, offence happens the moment we give place to the temptation and lie from the adversary. While something comes our way and we like to think and sometimes like others to think that we want to be more Christ-like in all we do - and the Lord in His love allows a situation to arise for the express purpose of our desire, whether it is real or false, when that something comes our way, it is the moment we really need the most to exercise that desire and to overcome our flesh, our mortal and carnal, and to triumph in what the Lord has equipped us with for doing so. Never being freed from such temptation until the time of perfect redemption, the enemy, the accuser, the snare setter, never ceases to be somewhere on the path and it is in such moments that faith is tried, commitment is tried and endurance is fortified.
We need to take a re-think about the times we will face when we have opportunity to do good, to respond righteously and to glorify our Father for His kindness set out for us through His Son. Show kindness, even as your Father in Heaven has been kind to you [see Ephesians 4:22 which is also a perfect remedy (Matthew 5:48) ]

When we go walkabout we might find a fence or two along the way. We can either jump it or go under it or take it as a redirection we need to follow. Is it not strange that most folk will take some sort of medication when pain or discomfort intrudes on them = i don't often hear folk being offended when they get ill, ie have some sort of pain, is they don't get offended by the pain itself but take some sort of remedial treatment or even pray about it or seek prayer.... and yet when something goes haywire in the mind, they don't take the medication of the Lord that He is not taken by surprise nor is He baffled nor complacent but He remains ever faithful and present to help us overcome.

If a fence does eat at you, you really need to consider, what's on your mind... ie what's on my mind? Then ask why. If we are open to integrity and are willing to grow in the grace we have received, we can admit that we have been looking at things from the place of having given in to the devil, whose way is to divide, kill and destroy without mercy. We ought to remember that in the Bible, we do have the instruction, to give no place to the devil and he will flee from you.
If however you sow bitterness, you will be soon overcome with thorns and that will only mess up your day, preventing travel and irritating you immensely.

Finally (?) what about forgiveness and turning the other cheek? Fair suck of the sauce bottle!

nearly finally.... so we need to defend our upset mate and take sides, do we? Maybe we prefer mafia rules over the rule of the Spirit?
You mentioned about a lot of very worldly things that people can get offended by. Naturally so.
Maybe the Lord was not all that asleep when He gave us the exhortation to finally....

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. <==Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9


Bless you ....><>

Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13

 

[Br. Bear]