Good Sense Offense

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11

Two of the traits I notice most on the rise in our culture are anger and being offended. It makes sense because both are deep seated in pride and selfishness, the two most “human” and basic emotions of the sin nature.

Think about it, what does most anger (ungodly anger) stem from? We aren’t getting our way. We don’t like something. Someone did something we didn’t like. We aren’t being served, indulged, recognized or preferred like we think we deserve.

Rarely a day goes by, heck, rarely an hour goes by I don’t hear someone say, or get an email from someone who is “offended”. When did we become so self-absorbed that we get “offended” every time: somebody says something I don’t like, someone has a belief that implies my belief must be wrong, somebody makes a stand for something that makes me look like I’m not as good as they are, somebody gets credit and I don’t, somebody else is more liked than me. I’ll tell you when we started being that way as a society: when we started to kick God out of our culture.

Anger is birthed in selfishness. Offense is birthed in pride and “self”. Bring God back into your life and you’ll find yourself much SLOWER to anger. Bring God back into your life and you’ll not be offended all the time.

To the degree you struggle with anger and being easily offended, is probably the degree to which you are not really fully turned to God.

Be slow to anger, have good sense. Over look offenses, receive glory. Questions?

Lord God, help us to be slow to anger, have good sense, and quickly overlook offenses. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.