No Offense

"Great peace have they that love thy law; and nothing shall offend them" (Ps. 119:165). Some people are hard to get along with because they take offense easily, and others are very easy to get along with because they do not take offense easily. A person who has the life of God through faith in Jesus Christ should be governed by the truth which is expressed in this great verse. Nothing shall offend them. How may we live so that we never take offense? The answer is found in the nature of those things which could give offense to anyone.

It is possible to hurt the feelings of an individual by saying something about him that is true or something that is false. Suppose that a true Christian finds that someone has discovered something about him which is true, and is telling it to others. What should be the attitude of the Christian toward the incident? He should be driven into the presence of God with a prayer of sorrow that something which he has done should cause the testimony of the Christian to be lessened. It should be: "O God my Father! My old nature broke out and they have discovered it and are telling it. It will lessen my witness for You, and I am sorry. Forgive me for being a stumbling block, and so work in my life that I shall not dishonor You again." If taxed personally with the fault, the Christian should say: "Yes, I am sorry to say that the rumor is true; and by the grace of God I have confessed it, forsaken it, and am trusting the Lord for cleansing and strengthening, that it may not happen again. I am not offended that this has come out, but I am grieved for my Lord's sake. I am sorry."

But suppose that someone lies about the Christian? It occurs more frequently than it should in Christian circles, that plain lies are told about Christians, sometimes by fellow Christians. When such a lie comes to the ears of the one against whom it is being circulated, what should he do? The answer is in the Scripture. "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matt. 5:11, 12). So when a Christian learns that a lie is being circulated against him he should look up to heaven and say: "Thank You, Lord! You have told me to rejoice about this, and I will obey You. This lie is the equivalent to the decoration of the Purple Heart, or the Distinguished Service Cross, or the Medal of Honor. You have counted me worthy to suffer for Your name's sake. Most certainly I should not be offended because of this.”

And the Christian will remember that the best defense of all history was that of the Man who answered not a word. When He was reviled, He did not speak back. When we act in the same manner we follow His steps. "Great peace have they that love Thy law; and nothing shall offend them."

1. If we offend someone with something that is true about them or reality, how should we respond? How does Christ respond?
2. How does a Christian rejoice in God when rumors and falsehood is spread about them?
3. What is the evidence that Christ is our focus when people revile us and say all kinds of evil about us?