With the dawn of social media, we may be living in the most CONSISTENTLY OFFENDED generation there has ever been.

• How could they possibly be associated with THAT!?

• I can’t believe how narrow-minded or STUPID this person is!

Unfortunately for Christ-followers, a huffy heart can lead to growing cynicism, bitterness, and anger in our hearts, poisoning our soul and hurting the influence God wants us to steward.

We’re BOUND to be offended by something. 

Thankfully, if consistently practiced, meditating on the following theological truths will at least leverage the situation for your spiritual benefit.

Need a little humbler soul? Ruminate on this:

1. Sin Messes With Our Perspective

Like it or not, you and I have sin-tainted eyes. 

Most of us can remember situations where we have been absolutely convinced that we were right about something only to find out that we were wrong.

Because of the fall, even our thinking, including our ability to draw right conclusions, has become damaged.  This impairment affects our ability to truly see things and judge things justly.

So it is with them. So it is with you.

In other words, even if you’re right about an aspect of THIS thing, that doesn’t mean you see it all clearly – and you could be wrong about more than you think!

To think that we see everything the most clearly is the height of arrogance.  

Be super careful when you imagine that there is no way you could POSSIBLY be wrong, misremember something, or be misinterpreting some bit of data.

Even the Apostle Paul understood that he could not necessarily count on his own judgment as being correct – Only God’s perspective is a sure thing (See 1 Corinthians 4:4)!

Still here? 

2. You and I Do What We Are Angry At Others For

It is not wrong to be angry at sin (or foolishness, or wrongheadedness), but it is wrong to walk in the deception that OUR sin, foolishness, or wrongheadedness are any less grievous before heaven.

In the midst of tensions between the Roman Gentile and Jewish Christians, Paul reminds them that in focussing on their neighbor’s imperfections, they are failing to discern and acknowledge their own guilt (See Romans 2:1-3). 

Whoops.

If we really saw ourselves rightly, we would discern that there is nothing our offense-giver has done that we have not also done (in some form).

• Are they being hyper-critical. You and I have been too.

• Were they careless with people’s emotions? You’ve blindly run roughshod over people too.

• Did they betray your confidence? That sucks, for sure, but if you ask Him to, the Holy Spirit will reveal places your own lips have been to flappy, dishonoring people you shouldn’t have. 

If we are going to think Scripturally, we must recognize that we have failed as friends, as representatives of Jesus, and in every other relational capacity.  

Do you want to know who is right? 

The Lord. THE LORD is right.

The Lord PROMISES us in 1 Corinthians 4:5 that we DON’T see or have all of the information that He does and that He won’t fail to meet out rewards and justice at the proper time.

Let that fact cause us to speak with humility, and to work for peace and the building up of others, saying only that which give grace to our hearers and leaves them encouraged (see Ephesians 4:29).

Related Post: This is What You Need to Know About Being Offended

Posted on September 12, 2018