Be Hard To Offend – Wednesday

Week 3 | Been There

Listen instead of reading

Take a Moment

Ask God what He wants to show you before reading today

Read The Daily

“Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.” (Proverbs 19:11‬‭)

I recently was defending a guy to a group that wasn’t really happy with.  I wanted them to give him the benefit of the doubt.  I took up for him and to my surprise, a week later, it got back to me that he was bashing me to another group.  How rude lol!  I defended him behind closed doors and he didn’t know it, yet he turned on me.  I felt offended.  When we allow ourselves to be offended it creates feelings of anger, frustration, insecurity, and pride. But when we look at the life of Jesus, we don’t see Him being easily offended.

Matthew 27 is full of wrongs done to Jesus. He is betrayed by His friend, beaten, mocked, and killed. Jesus had more of a right to be offended than anyone ever has. But Jesus saw past these wrongs to the heart of the people who wronged Him. He saw past the exterior and found within Him the courage, love, and strength to pray, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Instead of taking the opportunity to be offended or desire revenge, Jesus chose mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

If you are like me, then it’s also easy to say, “Yeah, but that’s Jesus and I’m not Jesus”  However, Jesus promises that by faith, He now lives in us and works through us.  Rats..I can’t even use that excuse!  

Jesus (in us) empowers us to choose grace over revenge.  If you are like me, then we could still argue that we don’t want to forgive.  We want them to pay.  However, living offended will only make you pay instead of them anyways.  So, don’t drink the poison.   

Prayer for the Day

God what are you  showing me?  What am I going to do about it? 

God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?

Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.

Read The New Testament In A Year

4 x 6 Plan | Read: Matthew 2:1-15 & 2 Corinthians 12:11-21