The Trap of Offense
“Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense.”
1 Corinthians 13:5 TPT
Did you know that the word “offense” in the Greek is skándalon?
Skándalon is the trigger of a trap (the mechanism closing a trap down on the unsuspecting victim).
Offense may look like a tasty morsel in the moment. Maybe someone said something truly hurtful, something you’ve worked hard on was under appreciated or you were ignored when you needed help. There will always be opportunities in our lives to be offended, but it’s a trap! The Bible says, a persons glory or virtue is to overlook the offense (Proverbs 19:11).
The world is full of offense. It’s everywhere! But the church is the devil’s most prized target. If he can infiltrate the church with offense, the Church becomes dim instead of shining bright. In church it’s easy to be offended! The closer we are to individuals, the easier it is to find their imperfections and shortcomings. But Peter wrote “Love COVERS a multitude of sin” 1 Peter 4:8. If any offender needed to be covered by love, it was Peter. He had felt the covering firsthand when he saw Jesus for the first time standing there on the beach after denying Him. Jesus didn’t ask Peter if he had failed. He asked him if he loved Him.
OFFENSE WILL KEEP US BROKEN, BUT LOVE WILL RESTORE US.
Here’s one: We are not allowed to be offended for others! This one can be harder, because we mistake our love and protectiveness for someone as a license to be offended. Proverbs 18:19 says “There are two sides to every story. The first one to speak sounds true until you hear the other side and they set the record straight.” Real wisdom seeks truth. Solomon brought both mothers in front of him and both were claiming the baby was theirs. But Solomon discerned that the mother who was willing to split the baby in two instead of surrendering it was the lying mother. Beware of people who want to divide and bring offense. If they are willing to split up friendships they are not worthy of your ear.
Let’s refuse to become entrapped by offense but rather cover it with love. Let’s become so holy that we are more offended by offense than one another! Let’s pursue truth with wisdom and war against division. This is our mandate and blessing!