“Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Matthew 11:6

Offenses

Walk His Way Revisited
First Posted in June, 2014

Don’t we all wish we could put our hand over our mouths before saying something we later regret?

One day I was talking to someone I am close to, and I guess I thought it would be okay to spill my frustration about something that had come up between us. In another time and place it probably would have been okay, but not this time and place. The other person was quite offended, and muttered, “And you call yourself a Christian.”

I was so hurt and deeply offended by this comment, and all the more so because of our closeness. I had thought this person would understand what I was really saying, what my heart really felt, but of course I had not considered their feelings, only my own. In the pit of my stomach I felt a selfish pang of having lost validity in the eyes of this other believer, and worried that perhaps I would not be able to speak into their life ever again the loving, comforting, healing, confirming words and teachings of Jesus. Even worse was the sense that perhaps I had unthinkingly maligned my Lord, brought shame or dishonor to His Name.

We are human, we are carnal and fleshly, and these things are bound to happen. There is God’s grace toward us when we sin, and we certainly have plenteous opportunities to practice grace towards one another. This person and I did talk about it, and came to an understanding, thankfully. Forgiveness for my offense was offered and received.

But my thoughts drifted toward the possibility of being offended by Christ. “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” An offense in the Bible is anything that causes one to stumble or be trapped; carried further, this refers to people or events that hinder right conduct or thought.

Our first thoughts about being offended because of Christ may be that we have not boldly shared the gospel when given an opportunity. This is what Christ was talking about when he told His followers to tell John the Baptist, who was in prison, that people were being healed and the dead were being raised and the poor were hearing the gospel, and blessed is he who is willing to do these things without being ashamed.

On closer examination, we see Christ saying to John, “You are in prison because you have done what I asked you to do. Don’t be offended by what I’ve asked you to do. Don’t have wrong thinking about that. Don’t take offense at Me because it didn’t go the way you thought it would.”

If you find yourself saying to God, “How COULD You do this to me? I did what You asked, and look how it turned out!”, that is being offended because of Christ. Take to heart the words of Jesus to Peter in Matthew 16:23: “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Ask the Lord to give you eyes to see life from His perspective, that we may gladly give Him His way in us.

Lord, we are but dust and are bound to be foolish and to fail at times. By Your grace, let us be mindful of Your bigger plan, that we would surrender to it and not be offended by what it may cost us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.