Recently the Lord was speaking to my heart regarding offenses. Some people are easily offended while others seem to shrug off offenses without much effort. As many of us know, we will encounter offensive people many times throughout our lives. And sadly, we will offend others either by choice or without realizing it.
One of the definitions of offense means a stumbling block. A stumbling block is an obstacle to progress or an impediment to belief or understanding. In other words, an offense causes someone to trip over our words or some offensive action done on our part.
By the very nature of us living as Christians, we are an offense to those in the world. I Peter 2:7-8 described Christ as a rock in which many take offense and stumble. Jesus warned the disciples in Luke 17:1, “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come”(NIV). According to this passage, it is one thing to be the offended party but the greater sin is with the one who offends.
We see this in Mark 9:42 and Matthew 18:1-5 where Jesus warns those that offend a “little” one in Christ, it would be better if a millstone was tied around the offender’s neck and drowned. Notice that between the verses when Jesus takes a little child in His arms (verses 36-37) and the warning for those who offend (verse 42) the disciples report that there is a man who is casting out demons in Jesus name.
The disciples were offended by someone outside their close knit circle who was doing the very thing some of them had failed to do. Just before Matthew 18, in chapter 17:14-15 a man brought his demonized son to the disciples but they couldn’t cast out the evil spirit. Jesus is aware of the pride in the disciples that has the potential to offend others. Jesus warns in Matthew 18:2 unless you change and become little children, you never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus takes seriously those who offend.
We must always keep in mind we are the offender because of our sin and disobedience and Jesus is the offended party. When we fail to put this in right perspective, we soon forget His love and kindness in which He first drew us to Himself. He forgave us and imparted to us a new life washing away our sins and giving us a new start, a new beginning!
How is it then we can become so offended by the “little ones” in the body of Christ who are doing the very thing we should be able to do but because of the hardness of our hearts as a result of an offense, we are become a stone in which they stumble.
Paul warns us in I Corinthians 8:9-13 to be careful for the things which might be lawful to us might offend a brother or sister in Christ. When we wound a weak conscience, Paul says in verse 12, we wound Christ.
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