Being offended often has at its roots the secret question "Well - what about me? What about my needs?" We don't always say it out loud - but we certainly do think it. It's a short trip from there to offense.
That's something we never heard Jesus utter. In any way. He never asked "what about me?".....he never said anything of the sort. As a matter of fact he said the opposite. Why are we so pop culture justified in "taking care of #1?
That whole thing "you can't love others until you love yourself" - "gotta look out for #1" - "If Moma ain't happy nobodies happy!" I know we joke about it, but seriously, all of that stuff is junk and it's totally not God.
True Christianity is built on the premise of putting the needs and wants of others above your own needs and wants. Truly following Christ means that we MUST BE WILLING TO BE A SERVANT. Dying to self, carrying your cross, being the last or least - all of these things mattered to Jesus.
Truly following Christ means that we have to strike from our vocabulary most of what modern culture says about self appeasement.
Where exactly does the bible talk about selfishness - Where is that biblically?
I'll tell you where - when the disciples were being selfish and asking about who would be the greatest - or when the Pharisees were afraid Jesus was there to rob them of their power - or when Satan himself desired to be worshiped. Or even when Adam and Eve wanted to be more like God - knowing what He knew. Or even when all of Jerusalem thought the Messiah was somehow coming to build for "them" a Kingdom "they" could rule in.
All of those scenarios started with the question "what about me?" "Don't I deserve better?" "When do I get mine?".
Honestly - most of the Western Church seems to still clearly be asking those questions....don't we? Don't answer that - I don't want you to be telling lies now. Don't you get "offended" when things don't go your way in church? Or when someone doesn't "love you enough". Don't you ever think to yourself "well if it were me...I certainly would have done things differently"? Come on now - don't be coy. We are arrogant, prideful, broken, and somehow always right aren't we?
Then there's this:
Half of the articles I've read that deal with prophecy in any way all spoke about how this year was going to be the year of jubilee and blessing. How 2015 was going to be a "manifestation of Gods glory" in our lives financially and that we would see "wholeness in exponential increase" in our homes. Interestingly enough - if you look at any archives that track those "words", they said the same thing last year too. Wonder why?
My question is this - doesn't it all seem a bit self centered? Doesn't it seem like we are a little too concerned with our own level of comfort and increase? I mean I know The Lord loves us and all but we may have taken that "good Dad" analogy a bit too far. We think a "good Dad" must be one that gives his children everything they ask for. Well - in my childhood I was raised by a great man and I got what he believed was best for me. Not what I believed was best for me. You know why? Because he knew better than I did.
Offense is born in these trenches. It is secretly fed by these things. It's a monster under the bed that grows more and more hungry each time we want our own lives to be magically amazing. We think we deserve it. We think we are entitled to it.
We are offended when we don't get what we want. Whether it be from God, our boss, our spouse, our neighbors, or the people we share rush hour with.
This is what our sin nature is built on. If the Kingdom of Heaven has at its foundation the cornerstones of Love, Grace, Forgiveness, Humility - then the kingdom of darkness has at its core selfishness. Or, for lack of a better phrase, self centered ness.
We have been trying to be the center of our own worlds since the beginning of time. It's what killed us then and it's what is killing us now.
Jesus felt differently though. Curiously we don't follow Him very well in this area. I think we have been outplayed by our enemy.
If we can curb our greed and selfishness then the level of offense and contempt will decrease in our lives as well. Then we can be free from all that mess to move on with what God is really doing on the face of the earth....reconciliation. In that, ironically, there will be great joy.
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