| How do you respond when you're offended? Why is it | | | | midst of an angry crowd. Let his actions be your |
| that one word, a look or even a perceived snub can | | | | example. He did not go about telling his disciples and |
| suddenly change your happy mood into an | | | | others about his hurt. Angry words expressed by a |
| overwhelming feeling of hurtful indignation? More often | | | | hurtful person to any number of people have the |
| than not offence starts with the notion that you were | | | | power to evoke similar attitudes in the listeners. As |
| wrongfully hurt and, therefore, have the right to feel | | | | you keep repeating your hurtful incident to others and |
| resentment towards the perpetrator. Offence is | | | | constantly thinking about it with bitterness, you will |
| always directed at yourself. It's all about your feelings. | | | | cause it to become a festering wound that will hold |
| Thoughts racing through your head may go something | | | | you bound. Your anguish will rob you of your joy and |
| like this: "how dare he/she do that to me," "what did I | | | | well-being, and affect all those around you as well. "Be |
| do to deserve this?" and "I will never trust him/her | | | | ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon |
| again!" Let's have a look at what the Bible has to say | | | | your wrath: neither give place to the devil. Let no |
| about offence. In Luke 4: 16-30 we see that when | | | | corrupt communication come out of your mouth, but |
| Jesus ministered the first time in his hometown, the | | | | that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may |
| people there "were filled with wrath" to the point of | | | | minister grace unto the hearers. Let all bitterness, and |
| wanting to kill him. Why? Because he had grown up | | | | wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be |
| among them and their pride did not want to believe him | | | | put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one |
| when he said that He was the subject of the | | | | to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even |
| scriptures he was reading! Instead of allowing the | | | | as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Eph. 5: |
| Word to open their spiritual ears, their erroneous | | | | 26-32) You are the one in control of your feelings. Do |
| judgments based on feelings of offence kept them | | | | not give into the devil's evil whisperings in your ear. His |
| from receiving salvation, healing and joy. While the | | | | scheme is to harp on your feelings. Just as Jesus did, |
| crowd was pushing Jesus towards the cliff to his | | | | respond to the person as soon as possible. If the issue |
| death, he "passing through the midst of them went | | | | is not resolved, then forgive and walk away. Slip |
| away." If you read through this account in Luke you will | | | | through the barrage of angry words and/or feelings |
| notice that Jesus told the crowd that the scripture he | | | | and let your joy return. Don't allow anyone to steal |
| was reading was being fulfilled in their ears! Most | | | | your joy! No amount of anger and retaliation can right |
| chose not to believe it and murmured among | | | | a wrong. "Bless them which persecute you: bless and |
| themselves. Jesus gave you a great example of | | | | curse not. Recompense to no man evil for evil. |
| dealing with offence. He squashed it right in the bud by | | | | Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto |
| telling them that no prophet was ever accepted in his | | | | wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, |
| own country and that he was not unique. In other | | | | saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed |
| words, he acknowledged being aware of their evil | | | | him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt |
| thoughts directed at him and, like the prophets, he | | | | heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of |
| came only for a few. He then slipped right through the | | | | evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom. |