People will at times say and do things that will offend you. It is important that we think about how we respond to this. We often react quickly based on the notion that we have a right to be annoyed and offended at the other person’s words or actions. Think again! The moment we accepted God’s forgiveness for all our offences against him was the moment we also gave up our right to take offense at others. You no longer have a right to be offended. The proverb says it outright: “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Stop and think then before you take offense. This does not mean that you should not communicate to another person that they have hurt you in some way. In relationships honest communication is important. But offense distorts communication. Offense creates a rupture in the relationship because it consists in us holding something against the other person. It involves us taking the position of judge over them. Communication, on the other hand, is an act of connection rather than disconnection. It always seeks to restore the relationship. To tell the difference between offense and a desire to communicate, ask yourself, ‘What is my goal in responding in this way?’ I would suggest that you not react to a potential offence immediately but give yourself time to consider your response and examine your motives.
Have you taken offense at someone lately? Reflect on how best to restore that relationship.
Read Proverbs 12:1-16
