"I have a right to be offended!"

That phrase has been thrown around a lot in the last few years.
And it has recently made its presence felt in my world and ministry on a larger scale.
So today I wanted to pose a few thoughts...
Do we have a right to offended?
Should we be getting offended?
What will getting offended achieve?
How can we deal with it when it comes?

The irony for me in sharing this blog post is that while talking about offense many we will be offended just by my doing so. Others will hear I have done this and be offended at the very thought of it.
From my little corner of the globe it is like people are waking up every morning and looking under every rock and under every bush looking for offense. And again that just offended someone else...

When I look at offense in the New Testament there are only a few references to it.
Most relate to religious people / powerful people being offended over what Jesus was doing.
And what was Jesus doing?
As Paul is quoted as saying - "he went around doing good"
I am not convinced that Jesus was being malicious and purposefully looking for ways to offend people, He offended people because was doing what He believed God had asked to do.

For any of you still willing to read I do truly hope the following helps us all. And thank you for not writing me off just yet!

Depending on your Bible Translation there are generally on average around 5 passages dealing with the topic of offense in the New Testament.
Most interesting and telling to me is that there are normally 3 times the number dealing with forgiveness.

As a follower of Christ I firmly believe you don't have an inherit right to be offended, instead you have the God ordained power to forgive.
Scriptures tells us it is virtuous and to your glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11)
Offended people are not better people in the long run, in fact than find it easier to become bitter people.

Here are couple of quick tips for dealing with it today:

1. Get it sorted and quickly
Matthew 5:23-25

2. Deal with it privately
Proverbs 17:9

3. Forgive and then forgive and then forgive
Matthew 18:21

Jesus hinted very strongly that this stuff would happen.
He didn't tell you to justify it, but to let you know how to navigate and then deal with it.

I will leave with this thought and my sincere prayer and hope we can all grow up more in this area. We should leading the way in overlooking offense and offering forgiveness.

“Being right, looking right, knowing you are right...are not more important than doing right!” 

Something to think about...