
Another Joy Robber-Taking Offense
With the recent media’s focus on what brings joy, I posted last month on Joy Returners and Joy Robbers https://blogs.bible.org/?s=Joy. This month I thought of another joy robber—taking offense. An offense can be a sin or something that causes hurt feelings or anger. It can be an injustice.
Part of the problem stems from calling something a sin toward you while it is really someone just disagreed with you or saw something differently. It is easy to confuse what is a sin or just that your feelings were hurt. Ways we can get offended can be from not being included, someone disagreeing with what we say, others being elevated, and so on.
The root of being easily offended is one of the sins God despises (Proverbs 6:16-19)—pride. We have set ourselves up as establishing what is good and right when God is the only one who sets the standard and knows all motives.[1] If you find yourself being easily offended, perhaps the following scriptural principles[2] will help: ask God to search your wounded heart to reveal any sin on your part (Psa 139:23-24), ask God for the grace to focus your thoughts on Phil 4:8, and ask God to help you live in harmony with others (Rom 12:16). Soul searching prayers will help you get your perspective right.
Furthermore, God has left us scriptures to inform us on how to respond to offenses that are injustices. In the midst of the injustice, be mindful of God (1 Pet 2:19). How does God’s holiness, faithfulness, justice, or omniscience comfort you? Look up to God to get your perspective. Meanwhile, demonstrate love by covering the offense (Pro 17:9). Go even further by overcoming evil with good (Rom 12:21). And follow Christ’s example by entrusting yourself to the one who judges righteously (1 Pet 2:23). Following these scriptural principles will get you back on the right track.
I was reminded that what was true yesterday is true for today and will be true for tomorrow when I discovered some timely insights form the past. Charles Spurgeon wisely stated, “Where I have known that there existed a measure of disaffection to myself, I have not recognized it, unless it has been forced upon me, but have, on the contrary, acted towards the opposing person with all the more courtesy and friendliness, and I have never heard any more of the matter.”[3] Spurgeon knew the benefit of overlooking offenses. Also, Richard Sibbes, a Puritan pastor, wrote, “It were a good strife amongst Christians, one to labour to give no offence, and the other to labour to take none. The best men are severe to themselves, tender over others.”[4] It may take some hard work to get into the habit of overlooking offenses, but it is worth it! Preachers in the past knew the value of applying scriptural principles to our response to offenses.
God reminds us of the benefits of overlooking an offense in Proverbs 19:11, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” Furthermore, overlooking offenses sends a strong message to the world, Proverbs 17:9, “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends” and John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” And certainly, our souls will relish in the joy that comes from being right with God as we walk in obedience by His power to not take offense!
Image from Clipground 2024, “Offended,” accessed September 22, 2024, https://clipground.com/images/offended-clipart-9.jpg.
[1] Abigail Dodds, “Blessed are the Unoffendable,” Desiring God, November 7, 2020, accessed September 22, 2024, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/blessed-are-the-unoffendable.
[2] Kristie Anyabwile, “Forgiving the Wounds of a Friend,” Desiring God, September 7, 2017, accessed September 22, 2024, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/forgiving-the-wounds-of-a-friend.
[3] C. H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students: Addresses Delivered to the Students of the Pastors’ College, Metropolitan Tabernacle. Second Series., vol. 2 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1889), 250.
[4] Richard Sibbes, The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes, ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart, vol. 1 (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson, 1862), 52.

