Blessing or Offense
And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Luke 7:23
These days, it is easy to get offended. We live in a world that is saturated with it. It is not one sided either. In today’s society people are offended if you are not like them and others are offended if you are like them. It has little to do with who you are or what you do, it is about who we perceive people to be. In a room full of people, you can be sure you are probably offending half of them and you don’t even know it. The world is full of hurting people that have held on to their hurts for so long that they have turned those hurts into fear of being hurt again. Offense is the way we have found to protect our hearts against future hurts.
We get offended by what people say and we get offended by what other’s don’t say. We are offended by what people do and again by what others don’t do. It just doesn’t matter how close to perfect a person can look, if you are looking for an offense, you can certainly find one.
On the other side of that offense is blessing. If you begin to look for what is right or good about a person or situation, God’s blessing is what follows. Taking authority over any offense that tries to come into your life and heart by looking for a positive angle, results in peace, joy, and contentment.
In today’s reading, Jesus said there is a blessing on those who are not offended. That blessing includes His peace. Offence comes because of jealousy, pride, and fear. When you are able to live above these emotions with the Holy Spirit’s help, you have His peace, His joy and His contentment in abundance in your life. Doesn’t that sound so much better than living in the stress and emotional torment that offense brings. You can only control your own life, so take control by loving others instead of seeing their faults.
Today I want to encourage you to be on the lookout for the temptation to be offended. Even if you think you do not get offended, be watching for that subtle deception. If you have feelings of disdain or condemnation when others behave badly, don’t justify your responses by their bad behavior. Instead recognize that we are all subject to doing the wrong things at times and turn your heart toward the love that God has for them and you. Then be the light and love of God to those who may be the very people you used to get offended by. The blessing of peace will fill up your life and all bitterness and justified rage that will destroy you from the inside out will be forced to leave.
Today’s scripture reading: Luke 7:18-35
18 Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.
19 And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
20 When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ”
21 And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.
22 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.
23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
24 When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts.
26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
27 This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’
28 For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
29 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.
31 And the Lord said, “To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?
32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not weep.’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.”
The Daily Dose 