Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Conflict”
Our Bible verse for today: “Offenses will certainly come, but woe to the one they come through!” Luke 17:1 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Just because others give offense doesn’t mean you to have take offense”
Yesterday we thought about the truth that as followers of Jesus Christ we should go out of our way to avoid being the source of offense and conflict. In Luke 17:1 Jesus assured His followers that in this life offenses will come, they’re unavoidable. We live in a broken and sin-filled world populated by broken and sinful people. Therefore it is impossible to live this life without having the opportunity to be offended. We’re surrounded by it all day every day! And according to Jesus, the person who is the source of the conflict bears the majority of the fault. But just because we have the opportunity to be offended doesn’t mean we should be offended.
Way too many people walk through their days cocked and loaded, just ready and waiting to be offended by someone or something. Years ago on the comedy show “Saturday Night Live” they sometimes did a skit which featured a character known as “The Church Lady”. This was a 50-something woman who went out of her way to appear excessively prim and proper, complete with sucked in cheeks, puckered lips, a very self-righteous attitude, and a girdle that was clearly way too tight. She was an expert in finding fault with everyone and everything, to the point that she was absurd and comical.
We have all probably known people like that. What a sad way to live. And what a pain in the neck to have someone like that around!
In 1994 author John Bevere wrote a book on this subject which has since sold over half a million copies and has become something of a classic in Christian circles. The title is “The Bait of Satan: living free from the deadly trap of offense.” It’s a great book. Very helpful. The basic premise is that Satan uses the potential to be offended as “bait” to create conflict between people. He will first prod one person to do or say something that is potentially offensive. Then he dangles that potential offense in front of the other person, like a worm on a hook for the fish. He will then try to get that person to take the bait and swallow the offense. Once that happens, the person is hooked and the conflict is engaged. The whole point of the book is that just because the offense is dangled in front of you, you don’t have to bite on it – you don’t have to take the bait.
I have always believed that how easily a person is offended, or how resistant they are to taking offense, is a clear measure of the depth and maturity of their faith. The more spiritually mature a believer is, the less easily you can offend that person. The truth is, just because others give offense, doesn’t mean you have to take offense.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 