So many people seem to be offended by almost everything today. The Free Dictionary defines Offense as “a lack of politeness, a failure to show regard for others, wounding the feelings of others.” And therein, is exactly the problem!
We are living in a world where our egos have got the better of us. It has all become about me! My feelings is the only thing that matters. Everything we do and everything we say, finds its root in our feelings. If I “feel” hurt by what someone does… then they are wrong! If I “feel” hurt by what someone says… then they’re wrong! You see, it’s all become about our emotions. The truth doesn’t matter anymore. All that matters is how I feel.
The problem with that is, that every single person feels different about different things. You might feel offended when I say that rugby is a sport for men, because in your eyes, I am being sexist. And I might feel offended by you telling me that “Those who can, do. And those who can’t, teach!” Because in my eyes, teaching is a noble profession (or maybe, it used to be…) The point is, that when we run around, living our lives based on how we feel, peace will never prevail and the world will be void of any harmony.
The only way out of this conundrum is to stop living our lives based on feelings. Even love, is not a feeling. Love is action even in times when we don’t feel like acting. When someone I care about, phones me at 2am to help them out of a pickle, I might not feel like getting up, but I do, because of love. When Jesus went to Golgotha, He never felt like suffering, but He did, out of love for us. We simply cannot live a feelings-based life and think that it’s okay. That is why there is a legal system. I can’t simply go and steal a Porsche because I feel like driving one.
We need a foundation on which to base our lives, and that foundation is Jesus Christ. He is Love… He is Truth… He is the Way… He is Life. When we know Him, we will know Truth. And when we know Truth, we will not be offended by what others say or do. We need to stand up for the Truth, but we don’t need to feel offended by the lies of the world. And that’s exactly why the world is so easily offended… because they don’t know the Truth and they have no interest in knowing Him.
The world is offended by Jesus. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18) People feel that Christianity is a faith that teaches us to look down on those who are not part of it. How dare we say that those who do not know Jesus, will not enter heaven? People don’t want to hear the truth because they feel they don’t need the help of the One who is Truth. And that… is the problem! Jesus is the only Way, and if we want to do things our way, we will be offended by the Truth.
Let’s be the church that cares about others by telling them about Jesus, and not allowing ourselves to be offended when they don’t want to listen.
Have an awesome day!
Mark Davidson
