Quick to Take Offense
Some people are always on simmer. All it takes is a tiny slight or a polite “no” to bring them to a boil. They are easily offended and, once offended, stubbornly resentful. Friends tell them to “forget it,” but they would sooner forget their own names than overlook an insult. They will remember the wrong, the way good people remember promises.
The line between the person who is long-suffering and the person who is easily offended is not the same line that divides Christians from non-Christians. Truth be told, the most pious people are sometimes the most prickly. Their religion coexists with an inflated sense of self-importance, and their self-importance makes them intolerant of slights.
The irony is that people who are easily offended — however religious they may be — cannot please God. Paul says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice” (Eph. 4:31). “Our anger,” says James, “does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:20).
Nothing good comes from a resentful frame of mind. It darkens the mood, suffocates the spirit, and shuts out God. It leads to harsh words, misunderstandings, and unremitting strife. That’s why those who are easily offended cannot experience the peace of mind that belongs to happiness.
Although this is so, it isn’t easy for people to recognize the damage resentment does. Resentment usually feels righteous, and that feeling can be intoxicating. It can lead to a perverse enjoyment of a soul-destroying vice.
Good things happen when we let go of resentment. We recover the peace of mind we have lost. We find our spiritual life opening up in unexpected ways. We regain the inner freedom to love, so that our relationships begin to heal and grow deeper. We may even experience improved health, as one’s spiritual condition has an effect on one’s physical condition.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll have much more to say on this subject.
In Christ’s service,
Paul