Offended
By Mike Rule

Life often puts us in situations where we find ourselves offended. Somebody says or does something which we take as a personal attack or we find their attitude, actions, or thoughts revolting. This continues to challenge me as I minister with people. Sometimes my words are misunderstood, or hit too close to home and people are offended by what was said. I often find myself being attacked for innocent statements.

Jesus lived His life on earth and was never offended by anyone or anything. Since this non-offendable life dwells in me, any time I invite in an offense it begins to gnaw on me and undo me. It is a way that is anti Christ. The purpose of life is to see Jesus Christ revealed through us. Life on earth will wring out of us what is in us. Being offended is God's way of wringing self out of us. We must continue to be offended until we cannot be offended anymore. Only then are we safe to see the life of Christ fully manifested through us.

Offensiveness is directly related to insecurity. It's not as important to understand who we are in Christ as it is to know Him. Knowing Him gives the security we need to function in life and makes us safe to receive every offense known to man without being offended. Jesus' life received all offense and owned it for himself.

Romans 5:14-21 (NKJV) 

¹⁴Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. ¹⁵But the free gift is not like the OFFENSE. For if by the one man's OFFENSE many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. ¹⁶And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one OFFENSE resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many OFFENSES resulted in justification. ¹⁷For if by the one man's OFFENSE death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) ¹⁸Therefore, as through one man's OFFENSE judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. ²⁰Moreover the law entered that the OFFENSE might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ²¹so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The next time you are offended don't work to overcome your offense, but own the fact that you are offended. Let offense drive you to the feet of Jesus. It is only in seeing Him and hearing His voice that you will be able to absorb the offenses of life and love in ways that are not possible for you to love. You will know it is Jesus Himself flowing though you, doing what you could never do on your own.