Saturday, July 12, 2008

Don't Take Offense When None is Intended

This is a pet peeve of mine. Do you ever spend time around people who are always mad? Who constantly analyze everything they hear, looking for some reason to take offense?


  • “We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.” - Abraham Lincoln

  • “Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it” - Rene Descartes

  • “Never ascribe to malice that which can adequately be explained by incompetence.” - Napoleon Bonaparte

  • "Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous, love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes. Love does not come to an end." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV


I believe the message is this: this isn't about me. The Christian isn't helping by taking offense. It is hard to love our enemies if we're mad at (or offended by) them.

I know this is easier said than done. But when you come right down to it, no one can offend you or make you feel bad without your permission. Work toward withholding that permission.

5 comments:

jay randall 10:04 AM  

What version of the Bible are you quoting? It's not the ESV, which says:

(4) Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant (5) or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; (6) it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. (7) Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I'm looking for the phrase about taking offense, and cannot find it. The meaning is there, but not the words.

Keith Lowe 12:51 PM  

Jay, you are totally right - I can't find it either. That was a while ago, but I can't imagine how I'd have written that in there if I wasn't cutting and pasting from Biblegateway.com. But I sure can't find it.

Thanks for the correction, I appreciate it!

Keith

Unknown 5:34 PM  

Look in the New Jerusalem version

http://www.veritasbible.com/drb/compare/ccb-48:njb/1_Corinthians_13:4-7

it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances.

Unknown 5:36 PM  

it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances.
New Jerusalem Bible
http://www.veritasbible.com/drb/compare/ccb-48:njb/1_Corinthians_13:4-7

Anonymous 7:48 AM  

It might be the Jerusalem bible????