Words Once Spoken, Held Forever in the Heart

I saw an old friend, Mike Peterson, in church today. I probably haven't spoken more than a few words to him over the past year or so, but he greeted me with a warm embrace--evidence of the bond that remains strong between us, though our paths have moved us in different directions.

I was reminded of what an impact he had on me when I first came to the church. And then I was struck by how I still carry something in my heart that he said probably 17 years ago.

I had involved myself in the church by serving as an usher. Mike was the Head Usher at the church. He was a great believer in the power of prayer and before each service he would have all of the ushers join hands, he would say just a few words from his heart, and then we would pray for the service.

It was during one of those times that he shared four simple words with us, which he repeated several times:

"Refuse to be offended! Refuse to be offended! Refuse . . . to be offended!"

What else, if anything, that he said that day, I could not tell you. But those few words, spoken I believe under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, went deep into my heart and have forever changed me.

"Refuse to be offended!"

And since that day have I always refused offense? No, I am ashamed to say that I have not. But why is it so very important for me to try to do just that?

I believe that it is for this reason: Offenses come at us every day in many different ways and from many different sources, from little petty offenses to major affronts. Nearly every time that someone speaks to us we have an opportunity to take offense with something they say. And that is just what the devil would like for us to do.

Offense is a trap because out of offense comes bitterness which steals our peace and our joy. And without joy, our strength is drained and we are trapped! And now, filled with bitterness and resentment, the road back to freedom is so much harder to reach, when we could have avoided the whole detour in the first place if we had only refused the offense.

So, here's how you refuse offense: You simply make the right choice. It's your decision. You can choose to be offended, or you can choose to love, the way God loves you everyday.

Even though we all do things to offend God every single day, His choice is to love us. Why should our choice be any different with those around us.

In I Corinthians 13:5b the Amplified Bible tells us a little about the God-kind of love that is needed to melt away offense:

"Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]."

My challenge to you and to myself is to not be "touchy" and to not "pay attention to a suffered wrong." In loving others, like God loves you, you will find great freedom.