October 14th, 2008 by admin

We often
hear people say, “that this person or that person offended them” or “that
statement was offensive.” The word offense is commonly used, and most of us
know what that word means. It’s a good thing that Jesus taught us about this
since we so commonly have to deal with it.

How do we
deal with offenses?  Matthew 18:7 tells
us, “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to
that man by whom the offense comes! So apparently none of us will escape the
occasional offense. I was listening to a pastor bring out a point about the
word offense according to Matthew. The word offense in the Greek actually means
a trap, snare or any impediment placed in the way and causing one to stumble or
fall, any person or thing by which one is (entrapped) drawn into error or sin.

See, the
offense is just the bait in which the devil has placed on the trap. He wants
you to take the bait, so that you become trapped or ensnared. If the devil can
get you mad or closed off to people, then he knows that your heart will begin
to harden. If your heart hardens, then the seed of the Word of God cannot grow
as effectively.

We have to
remember that our heart is the soil in which the Word is sown. We just cannot
afford to have the soil hard. Seeds do not do well in hard soil. Jesus tells us
that offenses will come, or the “bait” will come. We never have to fall for it
and become ensnared. Jesus has set us free to walk in love. If we do this we
will recognize the evil devices of the enemy and side step them.

We will
have many opportunities to “get offended” or to take the bait. You will
probably have some today, and may come from your closest friends or even
family. Jesus rebuked Peter, one of his disciples, called him Satan, and told
him he was an offense to him. Jesus recognized the trap that was being laid,
and side stepped it. We have to do the same. When the opportunity comes to be “offended”
just recognize that it’s a trap and side step it. It won’t be easy, but it will
be worth it.