Seeing the Gift - Laying Aside Offense and Choosing to See
Confession: I feel both overqualified and underqualified to write on the subject of offense. Offense has been a part of my life for far too many years. Looking back, I see how it has blinded me and kept me from receiving so many good gifts in the person or situation in front of me. However, as I grow in 'redemption hunting' (looking for God's heart and hand in the challenging circumstances), counting my blessings in gratitude, and bringing my heart to Jesus and His cross, my heart continues to be healed, my trust grows. Offense has become a companion who I travel with less and less frequently.
In Mark 3:1-6, Jesus was at the Synagogue, and the men there were so mad at Him for not following the rules and doing 'right' in their eyes (healing on a Sabbath) that they wanted to kill him. But unfortunately, their offense blinded them from seeing and receiving the excellent gift of healing that He was doing right in their midst.
This story reminded me of the climate that we now face. There is so much grief, pain, fear, anger, offense, and polarization. As a result, we are losing the capacity to have open, honest discussions, agree to disagree, put aside our differences, and see, listen, and learn from each other.
Can we separate our grief, anger, and offense from the people around us? Can we lay down our side – our opinions and listen to the people in front of us? Can we disagree without slandering each other? Can we refrain from speaking ill of those who believe differently than us? Can there be love and honour and differences of opinion?
Can we lift our eyes and look around for the excellent healing work that God wants to do in our midst, in our hearts?
In his December 31, 2018, address, the Archbishop of Canterbury speaks with uncanny foresight into our days, "It's fine to disagree. It's fine to disagree passionately and robustly. But when we hate, when we encourage violence, when we insult others – then we have taken the wrong path. But that is where we have seen to have gone."
Forgiveness changes this - I passionately believe this would liberate those involved in harm, break cycles of cruelty – and mean we know the intimacy of honest disagreement again."
Paul echoes this in Colossians 3:12b -14 (TPT) and calls us to "Be merciful as you endeavor to understand others, and be compassionate, showing kindness toward all. Be gentle and humble, unoffendable in your patience with others. Tolerate the weakness of those in the family of faith, forgiving one another in the same way Jesus Christ has graciously forgiven you. If you find fault with someone, release this same gift of forgiveness to them. For life is supreme and must flow through each of these virtues. Love becomes the mark of true maturity."
May we grow in forgiveness, love, and maturity as we put aside offense and choose to see the person in front of us as a gift rather than the enemy.
About the author: Angie Weigelt and her family have been missionaries with All Nations in Romania for over 13 years. She is a homeschooling mom who is passionate about Jesus, cooking nutritious food and being authentic and compassionate as she loves on and encourages the people around her. She enjoys deep conversations over warm cups of yumminess with friends, photography, reading, doing puzzles and hiking the Carpathian mountains that surround her city.
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