Words to Grow On

Archive Devotions

March 7, 2005

A Remedy for Offense

by:

Lauren Hodgson

Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven . . ." (Matthew 5:43 -45)

 It happened again. Someone said something that really offended me. To add insult to injury, he didn't even know it. I went home with this heavy burden of resentment and anger, hanging over me.

I find those periods of self-pity to be quite draining . . . especially on my spirit. How do you keep ministering when you have a 'spirit of offense?' For that matter, how do you keep your peace when you are harboring an offense?

I awoke the next morning, after a fitful night of sleep. As I sat down in the quiet of my living room to have my personal time with God, my devotional reading led me to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven . . ." (Matthew 5:43 -45)

I didn't like where this devotional thought was taking me. You see, I was enjoying my pity party! I had drawn the battle lines in my mind and I was building my walls. I had 'rights' and they were being violated. If I were to forgive, I needed to wallow in my resentment . . . at least for a little while longer!

My devotions that morning opened my spiritual eyes to another path that could possibly be taken - possibly the 'road less traveled.' I was challenged to find a specific verse of Scripture and pray it every time my mind would take me down that road of rehearsing my anger and resentment. Replace offense with a blessing. If I were to be Christ-like, I had to consciously displace my negative thoughts about my enemies with a verse of blessing.

Immediately, my mind went to Numbers 6:24-26, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." That verse of Scripture was brought to mind many times over the next few days, when a spirit of offense came over me.

The Lord challenges each of us to cultivate community. In the real world, that takes a great deal of effort. God has done His part in making the Fruit of the Spirit available to us - the Fruit of Peace. My part is choosing peace every time the spirit of offense tries to overtake me.

A great remedy to offense is praying a verse of blessing over your offender. It is amazing how peace will infiltrate your heart and mind. "Never cease loving a person and never give up hope for him, for even the Prodigal Son, who had fallen most low could still be saved. The bitterest enemy and also he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle again." (Soren Kierkegaard)